Russia is expanding its media presence across Africa through radio partnerships, digital platforms and local journalists, while simultaneously increasing recruitment of African nationals for its war against Ukraine.
Russian state news agency Sputnik has established editorial centres in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Its network of partner radio stations spans Ethiopia, Botswana, Malawi, Uganda, Nigeria, the Central African Republic, Mali, Niger, Guinea and Cameroon, with a potential audience of nearly 300 million people.
The broadcasts promote Moscow's positions on Western influence, neocolonialism and African sovereignty, while also disseminating narratives critical of Ukraine.
Another element of Russia's information network is GlobUs, a digital influence operation linked to structures formerly associated with Yevgeny Prigozhin. According to an investigation by France's government agency VIGINUM, the network is managed by Russian political consultants Yulia Berg and Andrey Gromov, who have coordinated influence campaigns in countries including Cameroon and the Republic of the Congo.
GlobUs works with local journalists, bloggers and political figures to distribute pro-Russian content. Its three Telegram channels have a combined audience exceeding 75,000 subscribers. Gromov was also involved in the Vozrozhdeniye Foundation, which promoted Russian narratives about the war in Ukraine, organised visits to Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories and supported propaganda films about Donbas.
Recruitment of African nationals increases sharply
Alongside its media expansion, Russia has intensified recruitment efforts across Africa.
According to Ukraine's Defence Intelligence (DIU), by October 2026 it had identified at least 5,451 citizens from 43 African countries who had signed contracts with the Russian armed forces, including 335 Ghanaian nationals.
Recruitment increased particularly sharply in Burundi and Zimbabwe. During the first nine months of 2026, Russia recruited 699 Burundians and 530 Zimbabweans, compared with 30 and 65 respectively throughout 2025. Recruiters reportedly offer well-paid civilian jobs, signing bonuses, Russian citizenship and social benefits. Positions advertised include drivers, security guards, construction workers and logistics personnel.
However, Ukrainian intelligence says some recruits discover only after arriving in Russia that they are expected to sign military contracts, often written in Russian, and subsequently deploy to the front. DIU has documented cases involving nationals of Botswana, Kenya, Cameroon and Sierra Leone who were recruited and later killed while serving with Russian forces.
UN investigation documents deception and coercion
An investigation published on 26 October 2026 by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine found compelling evidence of deceptive and coercive recruitment involving citizens of 29 countries.
According to the commission, intermediaries recruited foreign nationals through misleading employment offers, arranged their travel to Russia and pressured them into signing military contracts. Investigators documented cases in which passports and phones were confiscated, recruits were threatened or beaten, and individuals were deployed to combat despite written assurances that they would not participate in fighting.
More information about the schemes Russia uses to illegally recruit people in Africa and other parts of the world is available on the STOPRUSSIANRECRUITERS.ORG platform.
