272 Ghanaians lured into Russia-Ukraine war, 55 killed – Foreign Minister announces

The government has launched investigations into suspected criminal recruitment networks following reports that 272 Ghanaians were lured into the Russia-Ukraine war through fraudulent overseas job schemes.

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa disclosed the development at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, revealing that 55 of the affected Ghanaians had lost their lives, while two others are currently being held as prisoners of war.

Mr. Ablakwa said information obtained during his recent visit to Kyiv showed that the recruitment of Ghanaians was part of a wider trend involving citizens from several African countries.

According to him, an estimated 1,780 Africans from 36 countries are believed to have joined Russian forces.

He explained that many of the Ghanaians had responded to advertisements offering employment in sectors such as construction, hospitality, logistics and private security, only to be allegedly recruited into the armed conflict instead.

The Minister said the government is working with foreign authorities to verify the identities and welfare of the affected Ghanaians while providing consular assistance where necessary. At the same time, domestic security agencies have begun investigations to identify and dismantle the networks behind the alleged recruitment schemes.

“The Mahama Administration is committed to tracking and dismantling all dark web illegal recruitment schemes operating within our jurisdiction. This is not our war and we cannot allow our youth to become human shields for others,” Mr. Ablakwa stated.

He added that the government had intensified public awareness campaigns to encourage Ghanaians seeking employment abroad to verify the authenticity of job offers before travelling.

Mr. Ablakwa noted that the reported cases reflect a broader challenge of fraudulent overseas recruitment, human trafficking and irregular migration, with criminal syndicates exploiting vulnerable people through false promises of jobs, education and business opportunities.

“Criminal networks continue to exploit vulnerable Ghanaians through false promises of employment, education and business opportunities abroad, exposing many to trafficking, forced labour, cyber-enabled criminal activities and other forms of exploitation,” he said.

The Foreign Affairs Minister also highlighted recent consular interventions undertaken by the government to assist distressed Ghanaians overseas.

He disclosed that 638 Ghanaian nationals had been voluntarily repatriated from Libya through humanitarian return operations, while 244 others were brought back from Cambodia after falling victim to cyber-enabled employment scams.

Mr. Ablakwa further raised concerns about suspected human trafficking networks linked to the QNET scam operating across parts of West Africa.

He said that since January 2026, authorities had rescued 61 Ghanaians from Côte d’Ivoire, with 45 already repatriated to Ghana. In addition, another 315 Ghanaians have returned home following enforcement operations carried out by Ivorian authorities against the suspected trafficking networks.