Nigerian Man Captured Fighting For Russia After Serving Five Months On Battlefield

A Nigerian man captured fighting for Russia in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war has been identified as 29-year-old Kehinde Oluwagbemileke. Ukrainian forces arrested him in the Zaporizhzhia region after he had spent five months fighting alongside Russian troops.

Oluwagbemileke was detained by the Freedom of Russia Legion, a unit made up of anti-Putin Russian fighters supporting Ukraine. According to Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” project, the Nigerian had been living in Russia for four years before being jailed on drug-related charges. In exchange for a reduced sentence under Article 228 of Russia’s criminal code, he reportedly agreed to join the Russian military.

The group stated, “Kehinde is one of thousands of mercenaries from third countries recruited by Russia’s Defence Ministry to fight in Ukraine. We’ve already published data on nearly 7,000 foreign fighters from 14 countries, but that’s only a small part of the foreigners the Kremlin has sent to die in Ukraine. All of them are cheap manpower, which is not spared.”

This Nigerian man captured fighting for Russia told his Ukrainian interrogators that he had joined the war for “quick liberation” after being released from prison. He also revealed that his family in Nigeria was unaware of his involvement in the war.

In a video transcribed using AI and shared by The Guardian, the captured fighter described his background, admitting he had previously worked as a translator for non-Russian speakers in Russia, including Africans, South Americans, and Chinese nationals. He noted that among his group, only a few survived. “We were four. One 200 [killed], the rest 300 [wounded],” he said. “Lucky I’m alive.”

This Nigerian man captured fighting for Russia is one of several foreign nationals recently detained by Ukrainian forces. Just last week, a 24-year-old Chinese soldier fighting for the Russian army, identified as Wang Wu, was also captured in combat.

The growing presence of foreign mercenaries in Russia’s military highlights an alarming trend in the ongoing conflict. Many are drawn into the war through desperate means, including reduced sentences or false promises.

As the Nigerian man captured fighting for Russia recovers from his injuries, Ukrainian authorities are expected to use his testimony to shed further light on Russia’s recruitment of foreign fighters for its controversial war effort.