The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) confirmed Thursday that the bodies of two Nigerian nationals, identified as Hamzat Kazeem Kolawole and Mbah Stephen Udoka, were discovered in the Luhansk region following an unsuccessful Russian military assault. The men, who were serving as mercenaries for the Russian Federation, were reportedly killed by a drone strike in late November 2025 without ever engaging in a direct firefight.
Ukrainian intelligence reports indicate that both men were members of the 423rd Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment, part of the 4th Guards Kantemirovskaya Tank Division. Documents recovered from the scene show that Kolawole, 42, signed his military contract on August 29, 2025, while Udoka, 37, signed his on September 28, 2025. Kolawole is survived by a wife and three children in Nigeria.
The discovery has highlighted the rapid and often dangerous pipeline through which foreign nationals are being deployed to the front lines. According to the DIU, Udoka received virtually no training; he was assigned to a frontline unit on October 3, just five days after signing his contract, and was deployed to occupied Ukrainian territory that same day. Intelligence officials noted it is "highly likely" Kolawole faced a similarly abbreviated preparation period.
In a stern warning issued alongside the report, the DIU cautioned foreign citizens against seeking employment in Russia, alleging that many are being funnelled into high-risk "suicide" assault units under the guise of lucrative security or civilian jobs. "If you go to Russia, you have a real chance of ending up in a suicide assault unit and ultimately rotting in Ukrainian soil," the agency stated in an official Facebook post.
The Russian government has distanced itself from claims of a systematic state-led recruitment programme in Africa. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on February 10, 2026, the Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Andrey Podyelyshev, described reports of recruitment as "unfounded" and disconnected from official Kremlin policy. He acknowledged that while some Nigerians might be present in the conflict zone, any recruitment was likely the work of "illegal actors" operating independently.
"If some illegal people are trying to recruit Nigerians to fight in Ukraine, this is not connected with the Russian state," Ambassador Podyelyshev said during the briefing. He further stated that Moscow would be willing to investigate any credible information regarding such activities if provided by the Nigerian authorities.