Ugandans are among the foreign fighters joining Russia in the war in Ukraine, according to new reports.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, a group believed to be from Uganda was filmed in eastern Ukraine singing Ugandan military songs to boost morale. One combatant was heard saying \u201cKaweddemu,\u201d a Luganda phrase meaning \u201cit is over.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Russian soldier films a large detachment of African mercenaries recruited to wage war against Ukraine.<\/p>\n
Behind their backs, he comments in Russian that they are essentially disposable cannon fodder: \u201cLook how many disposables are here.\u201d pic.twitter.com\/yBDE6jnypS<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Special Kherson Cat \ud83d\udc08\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@bayraktar_1love) January 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Questions remain about how the fighters were recruited and deployed. Days earlier, Ukrainian forces captured Ugandan national Richard Akantorana, who said he had taken out a loan for a promised job in Russia but was instead forced to fight against Ukraine.<\/p>\n The 63rd Mechanized Brigade reported that since the fall, Ukrainian drone operators and infantry units have encountered armed foreign fighters advancing toward their positions<\/a>. Many lacked identification, making it impossible to confirm their nationalities.<\/p>\n Ukraine\u2019s foreign minister has said Russia has recruited over 1,400 fighters from dozens of African nations, often using false job offers to lure them.<\/p>\n Africans are not the only foreign nationals involved in the conflict. In 2024, North Korea reportedly sent over 10,000 troops to support Russia in Ukraine.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) <\/a>reported that a language barrier between Russian and North Korean troops has created major coordination challenges<\/a>. \u201cPoor integration and ongoing communication problems between Russian and North Korean forces are likely to continue causing friction,\u201d ISW said.<\/p>\n