By our reporter 13.2.2026
Two Nigerian men have been killed fighting for Russia in its war against Ukraine.
According to Ukraine’s military intelligence agency Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole, 42, and Mbah Stephen Udoka, 37, were killed while fighting for Russian forces in Ukraine’s Luhansk Oblast.
Russia has been repeatedly accused, by Ukraine and other countries, of recruiting foreign nationals often under misleading promises – particularly from Africa and the Middle East – with little or no training and sending them into frontline assaults often reffered to as “meat grinder” in Ukraine because of the high risk of death.
According to the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR) both men had signed contracts with the Russian army in the second half of 2025. They were killed in November by a Ukrainian drone strike.
HUR said Udoka received no military training. Five days after signing his contract, on 3 October, he was assigned to his unit and deployed to Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine.
No training records for Kolawole were found, and Ukrainian intelligence assessed it was highly likely he also received no formal preparation. HUR noted that Kolawole is survived by his wife and three children in Nigeria.
HUR described the assault as a “meat” attack and said the number of identified Russian mercenaries from African countries killed in Ukraine is increasing.
The agency warned foreign nationals against traveling to Russia or accepting employment offers there, stating that individuals risk being coerced into frontline assault units and sent into high-casualty operations.