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An alarming number of Botswana nationals are facing forced combat in Russia’s war against Ukraine after falling victim to deceptive recruitment schemes, the Botswana government announced Saturday.
The international relations ministry reported a rapid and deeply concerning rise in the number of citizens misled into these dangerous arrangements.
According to the ministry, stranded Batswana are placing heartbreaking calls from the front lines, describing perilous conditions after handlers forced them into active military combat upon their arrival in Russia.
While the official statement did not specify the exact number of trapped citizens, the government previously noted in December that recruiters had targeted at least two Batswana youths.
This deceptive practice mirrors a broader regional trend, as several African nations have reported their citizens being duped into fighting for Moscow.
Recent independent research published in mid-February listed over 1,400 African recruits from nations like Egypt, Cameroon, and Ghana, confirming that hundreds have already died on the battlefield.
