Togo’s government has confirmed that several of its citizens have been captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting alongside Russian troops in the ongoing war in Ukraine. The announcement comes amid growing concerns over African nationals reportedly being lured into combat through fraudulent scholarship schemes.
In a statement released Friday, Togo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that most of those involved were young students who had left the country under the pretext of receiving scholarships from entities claiming to operate in Russia. The ministry urged all citizens—particularly students—to thoroughly verify any overseas education offers and consult official government channels before traveling abroad.
This follows warnings in March from the Martin Luther King Movement (MMLK), Tom, go’s leading human rights organization, which reported that a Togolese student had been captured and imprisoned in Ukraine after being coerced into joining the Russian military. According to the group, the student had obtained a visa from the Russian embassy in Cotonou and traveled to Russia in August 2024, only to be conscripted into the war effort shortly after arrival.
Authorities have reiterated the importance of vigilance and due diligence to prevent further incidents of exploitation and unlawful recruitment linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.