Uganda says 27 citizens killed or presumed dead fighting for Russia
A letter from the embassy in Moscow speaks of citizens killed or presumed dead. The news came as Moscow hosted the Russia-Africa summit. A report accuses Moscow and Pyongyang of running a forced labour network.
Symbolic image · Photo: Rebeccananonof / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (cropped and resized)
Twenty-seven Ugandan citizens recruited to fight for Russia in Ukraine have been killed or are presumed dead, according to a letter from Uganda's embassy in Moscow, Reuters reported, as summarised by Just Security. The embassy received the information from Russia's Foreign Ministry in a note verbale; an official at Uganda's Foreign Ministry confirmed the letter is authentic.
The news came as President Vladimir Putin hosted a summit with African leaders in Moscow, including Kenyan President William Ruto. Moscow is seeking to expand its influence in Africa.
Meanwhile, the human rights group Global Rights Compliance alleges that a Russian broker network backed by North Korea sends North Korean workers into exploitative conditions, some at factories supplying the war. The group says this violates UN sanctions.