Amnesty International has urged African leaders attending the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow to press the Russian government to immediately stop the alleged recruitment of African nationals into its military to fight in the war against Ukraine.
The rights organisation made the appeal in an open letter issued ahead of the October 28–29 summit, warning that many Africans were allegedly being recruited through deception, coercion and the exploitation of economic hardship.
“For African leaders to remain silent on this issue would be a profound disservice to the people of their countries. We urge them to address this issue directly with the Russian authorities at the Russia-Africa Summit 2026 and call on Russia to take immediate steps to end these practices, which in many cases amount to trafficking — a crime under international law,” Amnesty International’s section directors across Africa said.
The organisation said African leaders should use the summit to defend the rights and dignity of their citizens and ensure they are not used to advance the military interests of other countries.
“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 organisation said.
Amnesty also urged African governments to seek accountability from the Russian authorities.
“African leaders must demand investigations and prosecutions for all acts of trafficking in persons involving state officials or others acting with the acquiescence of the Russian authorities,” it added.
According to Amnesty International, the appeal follows findings contained in its September 10, 2026 briefing titled “Russia: Trafficking of Foreign Nationals to Fight in Ukraine.”
The report alleged that some African nationals were lured to Russia with false promises of employment or educational opportunities before being compelled to join the country’s military operations in Ukraine.
Amnesty said many of the affected individuals had little or no option but to participate in the conflict after arriving in Russia, describing the alleged practice as a violation of international law.
The organisation called on African leaders to make the issue a priority during discussions with Russian officials and to push for stronger measures to protect African citizens from exploitation.