Photos: Two Nigerians identified among dead in Ukraine war, Kyiv alleges

Ukraine’s military intelligence agency says it has identified the bodies of two Nigerian men in the eastern Luhansk region, alleging they were serving with Russian forces in the war that has entered its fourth year.

In a statement released on Thursday, Ukraine said operatives confirmed the identities as Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole, 42, and Mbah Stephen Udoka, 38.

According to the agency, both men were attached to the 423rd Guards Motor Rifle Regiment, a unit within Russia’s 4th Guards Kantemirovskaya Tank Division.

Ukraine said Kolawole signed a contract with the Russian army on August 29, 2025, while Udoka signed on September 28, 2025. Udoka was reportedly deployed on October 3, five days after signing, without prior military training. The statement added that no training records were found for Kolawole and suggested he likely received none.

Ukraine alleged the two men were killed in late November during a drone strike as their unit attempted to advance on Ukrainian positions in Luhansk. Kolawole’s wife and three children are said to be in Nigeria.

The agency warned foreign nationals against travelling to Russia for work, claiming some are recruited under civilian job offers and later sent to the front lines with minimal preparation.

The claim follows a recent CNN investigation that reported how some Africans from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda were allegedly drawn to Russia with promises of civilian jobs, only to be deployed in combat roles.

Earlier this week, Andrey Podyelyshev, Russia’s ambassador to Nigeria, rejected the reports and denied any organised recruitment of Africans into the Russian military.

The Russian embassy in Abuja has not yet responded to requests for comment on Ukraine’s latest statement.