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Several Togolese nationals have been “captured and detained” by Ukrainian military forces after participating “in military operations alongside Russian forces,” according to a statement from Togolese officials on Friday.
Togo’s foreign ministry noted in a statement seen by AFP that the “majority of compatriots, particularly young students, had departed Togo under purported scholarships provided by entities claiming to be located in Russia.”
Recent news reports have highlighted several instances of African nationals, frequently students or former inmates, particularly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, and Benin, engaging in combat with Russian troops on the Ukrainian front.
The ministry urged citizens, “especially young individuals who intend to study abroad, to exercise extreme caution.”
It “advises them to verify the legitimacy of scholarship offers before making any commitments and to reach out to relevant departments or other concerned ministries… to obtain trustworthy and secure information prior to any travel abroad, especially to Russia.”
In March, Togo’s leading human rights organisation, the Martin Luther King Movement (MMLK), informed the authorities about a case involving a Togolese student who was captured on the battlefield and imprisoned in Ukraine.
“Having received his study visa at the Russian embassy in Cotonou, the compatriot left Togo for Russia on August 21, 2024,” MMLK said in a statement.
“Arriving in Russia, he was forced to join the army to go to the front in Ukraine. It was there that he was seriously wounded, captured and thrown in prison,” it said.
Recent reports have highlighted numerous instances of African nationals, particularly students or ex-prisoners from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, and Benin, engaging in combat alongside Russian forces on the front lines in Ukraine.
