Putin faces African anger in Moscow on ‘coercive’ recruits to Russian army in Ukraine

Vladimir Putin has been silent on a request by Kenyan president William Ruto for Moscow to assist in the repatriation of Kenyan men recruited to fight for the Russian army in its war against Ukraine.

Ruto’s request was made ahead of a two day Russia-Africa summit which began in Moscow on Wednesday (28 October).

Nigerian and South African officials have also voiced concern about their own people being recruited.

In an open letter on Wednesday, Amnesty International urged African leaders to urge the Kremlin to “immediately end the coercive and deceptive recruitment of African nationals into Russia’s military forces to fight against Ukraine.”

“For African leaders to remain silent on this issue would be a profound disservice to the people of their countries,” states the letter.

“At a moment when many African governments are speaking up about the enduring legacy of colonialism, and the importance of sovereignty and African agency in international affairs, they must reject any practice that treats nationals of African countries as a commodity for other countries’ political and military objectives.”

The Kremlin has been publicly silent on the issue of African fighters being used in its army.

It briefed that 22 African heads of state would attend the two-day summit in Moscow, with 26 other African states sending foreign ministers and other diplomatic officials.

"The era when the fate of entire continents was determined by a narrow bloc of states is irrevocably gone," said Putin in his opening speech at the summit.

Benjamin Fox is our trade and geopolitics editor. His reporting has also been published in the Guardian, the East African, Euractiv, Private Eye and Africa Confidential, among others. He is based in Nairobi, Kenya, although he often reports from London.