Amnesty International has urged African leaders attending the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow to demand an end to the deceptive and coercive recruitment of African nationals into Russia’s military for the war against Ukraine.
In a statement ahead of the October 28–29, 2026, summit, the organisation’s African section directors called for independent investigations into suspected human trafficking networks and accountability for those involved.
Amnesty warned that recruiters were exploiting economic hardship to lure African nationals into military service, with some reportedly ending up in combat roles with little or no choice.
The organisation said the practices raised serious human trafficking concerns and urged African governments to reject the treatment of their citizens as political or military commodities.
It also called on leaders to push for the prosecution of individuals responsible for the recruitment schemes.
The appeal follows Amnesty’s September 10, 2026, briefing titled Russia: Trafficking of Foreign Nationals to Fight in Ukraine, which documented concerns over the recruitment of foreign nationals, including Africans, into Russia’s war effort.
Amnesty urged African leaders to use the summit to press for investigations and measures to protect their citizens from deceptive recruitment practices.
