Former Zimbabwean Soldiers and Police Are Helping Recruit Young Men for Russia

Former Zimbabwean military, police, and intelligence personnel are helping to recruit and lightly train young Zimbabweans for deployment to Russia's war against Ukraine, according to The Zimbabwean newspaper. Recruits are lured by online advertisements offering salaries of $7,000 to $10,000, with travel expenses paid upfront. Vetting and basic tactical training are allegedly carried out by the former personnel in Bulawayo, Harare, and Masvingo.

"By the Time the Boys Land, the Contract Has Changed"

A senior Zimbabwe National Army officer, speaking anonymously to Bulawayo 24, said former colleagues were approached in 2024 and offered consultancy fees to identify young men for what was described as private security work in Russia. "By the time the boys land, the contract has changed," he said.

Two Men Charged

Zimbabwean authorities have made a series of recent arrests on human trafficking charges. Investigators believe Edward Kachingwe, 36, recruited five men before he was arrested at Harare's Roadport Bus Terminus in late June and charged with human trafficking and operating an unregistered employment agency. Prosecutors say he worked with a Russian accomplice identified only as "Roman," who has not been detained and who allegedly planned to unlawfully recruit victims to join the Russian army, where they would be forced to fight. Also in June, a Russian national, Leonid Koftev, appeared in court on trafficking charges after allegedly arranging a Zimbabwean man's travel to Russia. Both men have been charged but not convicted.

Rescues in Tanzania and South Africa

Authorities say they rescued Zimbabweans in Tanzania and South Africa who were in transit to Russia. In Dar es Salaam, victims reportedly gave relatives false hotel addresses to avoid detection, but their locations were revealed by digital forensics. Some rescued men told investigators they had travelled with former military personnel who were also victims of the Russian networks, Bulawayo 24 reported, according to The Zimbabwean.

Uber Drivers, Seven Days of Training, and a Confiscated Passport

Information Minister Zhemu Soda has said recruits receive little combat training before deployment. A Zimbabwean now fighting for Russia told The Zimbabwean newspaper that many recruits were Uber drivers recruited in South Africa with no army experience, who were trained for seven days and then deployed. "When they reach the front line, they take their passport and only promise to give it back after a year," he said.

The Wider Numbers

The article cites a September investigation reported by Kenya's The Star that found at least 3,066 Africans from 40 countries had been recruited into Russia's military since October 2022, with 502 dead by June 2026. It also says Russia plans to recruit 18,500 foreign fighters this year, nearly six times as many as at the start of the war. On October 6, more than 30 families of Kenyans trafficked to Russia gathered in Nairobi to urge President William Ruto to push for the return of survivors; a family representative told The Star that recruitment of Kenyans is still ongoing.

A Safe Way Out

Zimbabweans and other foreign nationals lured into Russia's armed forces have an option to safely escape the battlefield with Ukraine's "I Want to Live" project. See our FAQ for more recommendations.