Russia recruited 530 Zimbabweans into its armed forces between January and September 2026, up from 65 during the whole of 2025, according to Ukrainian intelligence figures reported by Bloomberg, as concerns grow over the recruitment of Africans for the war in Ukraine.
The figures were contained in a presentation obtained by Bloomberg from people familiar with Ukrainian intelligence work.
The presentation also recorded 699 recruits from Burundi between January and September, compared with 30 during the whole of 2025. It said recruitment had increased in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Sudan and Cameroon.
According to the presentation, Russia’s recruitment campaign is intended to help offset battlefield losses and shortages of personnel available for mobilisation.
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An online advertisement reportedly used in Zimbabwe promoted a “program for specialists from Zimbabwe, limited spots”. It featured an African man in military uniform and invited applicants to take a test to determine their eligibility, but did not explicitly state that recruits could be sent to fight in Ukraine.
Bloomberg reported that some foreign recruits were attracted by promises of civilian employment, including jobs in transport and catering, as well as signing bonuses, salaries and the prospect of Russian citizenship.
CITE investigation documents recruitment methods
The figures add to concerns raised by CITE’s investigation, published in February 2026, which documented how Zimbabweans were allegedly recruited to Russia under the promise of civilian employment before some were sent to the front line.
CITE found that recruitment networks operated in Harare and Bulawayo, as well as in areas including Kezi, Esigodini, Plumtree and Tsholotsho. Some Zimbabweans were also approached while living in South Africa.
One source interviewed by CITE, who said he was fighting for Russia in the Donbas region of Ukraine, described the limited training received by some recruits.
“Some of those who have been recruited were mostly Uber drivers recruited in South Africa with no army experience and are trained for seven days then deployed,” the source said.
The source also alleged that recruits had their passports taken after reaching the front line.
“When they reach the front line, they take their passport and only promise to give it back after a year,” he said.
These accounts are testimonies from sources interviewed by CITE. They do not establish that all Zimbabweans recruited by Russia were deceived or received the same training and treatment.
Government warned about fraudulent job offers
On 11 March 2026, Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade warned citizens to exercise caution when accepting overseas employment offers.
In a response to questions from CITE, ministry spokesperson Philisiwe Chidawanyika said some recruitment agencies operated online and outside Zimbabwe’s regulatory reach.
“The Ministry warns Zimbabweans of the prevalence of fraudulent recruitment agencies, most of which operate in digital spaces and outside the regulatory jurisdiction of the country. These bogus agencies usually dangle attractive remuneration packages but are silent on the unfavourable working conditions and the personal sacrifices to be made by the recruits,” she said.
Chidawanyika also warned that the work offered during recruitment might differ from what people were required to do after arriving abroad.
“In some cases, the jobs offered at recruitment are not what the recruits find themselves deployed into,” she said.
The ministry urged Zimbabweans to verify overseas employment and study offers through official channels or the nearest Zimbabwean embassy or consulate before making commitments.
The statement was a general warning about fraudulent overseas recruitment. It did not directly confirm whether the ministry was aware of Zimbabweans being recruited specifically to fight for Russia.
UN and Amnesty raise wider concerns
The latest recruitment figures come amid broader international scrutiny of Russia’s recruitment of foreign nationals.
On 26 October 2026, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine said Russian authorities had committed crimes against humanity through attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and had trafficked foreign nationals to fight with Russian armed forces in Ukraine.
Amnesty International, in a report published in September 2026, said foreign nationals had been recruited through deceptive, coercive and exploitative practices. It documented cases in which people were promised civilian work, high salaries or Russian citizenship before being sent to the front line.
The Ukrainian intelligence presentation cited by Bloomberg said 45,959 foreign nationals from 151 countries had signed contracts with Russia’s armed forces, including 5,451 Africans. These figures, too, are attributed to Ukrainian intelligence and have not been independently verified.
Russia has not publicly confirmed the specific recruitment figures reported by Bloomberg. The news agency reported that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not respond to its request for comment.
The reported increase in recruitment from Zimbabwe raises questions about how many people were offered civilian work, how many understood that they were signing military contracts and how many were subsequently deployed to combat roles.
The available figures do not establish how many of the 530 Zimbabweans were deceived, sent to the front line, killed, captured or remain missing.
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