Yaoundé confirms deaths of 16 Cameroonians fighting for Russia in Ukraine ⁰

Cameroon said Russia had confirmed the deaths of 16 of its nationals who were killed while fighting for Moscow in its war against Ukraine.

Reuters reported on Tuesday that the central African nation acknowledged the deaths on state television by urging relatives of the deceased to contact the foreign ministry for further information.

The outlet also cited a “Cameroonian diplomatic note” on Monday that mentioned “military contractors of Cameroonian nationality” who died in a special military operation ​zone – terms that align with Moscow’s official designation for its Ukraine invasion.

The document did not provide details on the circumstances of their deaths or explain how the 16 men became involved with Russia.

Cameroon had not previously acknowledged that its citizens were fighting for Russia, despite reports in local media describing appeals from families seeking information about relatives believed to have been recruited by Russian authorities.

In February 2026, Ukraine’s foreign minister said over 1,700 African nationals have been enlisted to fight alongside Russian forces since the start of the full-scale invasion started in 2022, with Egypt, Cameroon and Ghana among the most common countries of origin.

Ghana’s foreign minister visited Kyiv the same month to appeal for the release of two prisoners of war (POWs) captured by Ukraine, while acknowledging that at least 55 of its nationals have died fighting for Moscow.

The statements came just days after reports of Ukrainian troops operating out of bases in north Africa’s Libya, though Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR) has refused to comment on the reports.

The same month, the watchdog organization “All Eyes on Wagner” published a list of 1,417 African nationals from 35 nations recruited by Moscow between January 2023 and September 2025, estimating that at least 316 of them were killed.

Ukrainian officials have reported that Russian recruitment of foreign nationals has intensified as Moscow seeks to fill manpower gaps, with recruits lured into signing contracts after being promised education opportunities, employment and high monthly salaries, before being dispatched to combat units.

Source: Kyivpost