The Zimbabwean government has confirmed that the number of its nationals killed in a foreign conflict has risen to 18, up from 15 reported last week.
Authorities say victims were lured through sophisticated and deceptive recruitment schemes that exploit worsening economic conditions. Some were allegedly channelled into operations linked to Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana, confirmed the deaths in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday.
He said efforts to repatriate the bodies have been hampered by documentation challenges, with only four of the 18 recovered so far.
“The number of Zimbabweans killed in a foreign conflict is now 18. The State is seized with the repatriation of only four of those, as there are issues around the documentation of the others,” Mangwana said.
Information Minister Soda Zhemu last week said authorities are cracking down on channels and agencies used to lure Zimbabweans into the conflict.
“Law enforcement has been instructed to identify, track and dismantle the criminal networks behind this trafficking,” he said, adding that the security cluster is actively pursuing those responsible.
Victims reportedly had their travel documents confiscated and were forced into frontline roles with little or no military training.
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Government has since intensified regulation of private employment agencies, seen as a key entry point in the trafficking chain. Zimbabwe has 57 registered agencies, all now subject to stricter vetting and licensing requirements for foreign recruitment.
Background
Zimbabwe previously confirmed that at least 15 of its nationals had been killed after being recruited to fight for Russia in its ongoing war with Ukraine, with more than 60 believed to remain on the frontlines.
Zhemu described the recruitment as a “sophisticated scheme of deception, exploitation and human trafficking,” driven largely through social media.
The government says it is engaging Russian authorities to facilitate the return of bodies and the safe repatriation of those still alive.
Officials have urged Zimbabweans to exercise caution when pursuing overseas job offers and to verify opportunities through official channels, warning that recruiters often disappear once recruits are injured, captured or killed.
The situation reflects a broader trend across Africa. Countries including Kenya, Ghana and South Africa have reported similar cases of citizens being lured into the conflict.
Ukrainian intelligence estimates that more than 1,700 people from 36 African countries have been recruited to fight for Russia.
Kenya says 252 of its citizens have been illegally conscripted, while Ghana reports 55 fatalities and about 272 recruits since 2022. South Africa has secured the return of 17 citizens who were allegedly misled into joining the war.
