African Leaders Urged to Challenge Russian Military Recruitment of Africans at Moscow Summit

African leaders attending the Russia-Africa summit scheduled for 28-29 October in Moscow have been urged by Amnesty International to press Russian authorities to halt the coercive and deceptive recruitment of African nationals into Russia’s military forces for combat in Ukraine. In an open letter released ahead of the summit, the organization’s African section directors called for immediate action to end what they described as practices amounting to human trafficking under international law.

“Remaining silent on this matter would be a profound disservice to African citizens,” said the directors. They emphasized that African leaders should directly engage Russian officials during the Russia-Africa Summit 2026, urging Moscow to implement concrete measures to stop these recruitment practices. “These actions treat African nationals as commodities for foreign political and military objectives, undermining the principles of sovereignty and self-determination that many African nations actively champion on the global stage.”

Amnesty International’s Section Directors across Africa

The organization also called for full investigations and prosecutions related to all instances of human trafficking involving state officials or individuals operating with Russian governmental consent. “Accountability is essential to prevent further exploitation of vulnerable populations,” the statement noted.

This appeal follows Amnesty International’s September 2026 briefing titled “Russia: Trafficking of Foreign Nationals to Fight in Ukraine,” which documented systematic recruitment of African individuals through deception, economic manipulation, and coercive tactics. The report revealed how Russian authorities exploit economic vulnerabilities to enlist foreign fighters, often sending them into dangerous combat situations far from their homes with limited options for withdrawal.

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