The Russian government has denied allegations that it is operating a state-backed programme to recruit Nigerians to fight in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, the Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Andrey Podyolyshev, said Moscow has no official policy supporting the recruitment of Nigerians for the conflict.
“There is no government-supported programme to recruit Nigerians to fight in Ukraine. If there are illegal organisations or individuals trying to recruit Nigerians by unlawful means, this is not connected with the Russian state,” he said.
His remarks comes amid growing concerns sparked by international media reports, including a CNN investigation, alleging that some Nigerians were lured to Russia with promises of employment opportunities and later deployed to the battlefield after brief military training.
Podyolyshev dismissed the reports, accusing Western media of promoting a hostile narrative against Russia.
The ambassador acknowledged that some Nigerians may be present in the conflict zone but maintained that their involvement is not linked to any official Russian policy.
He added that Russia is willing to investigate credible allegations if evidence is provided.
Russia breaks silence on recruitment of Nigerians for Ukraine war
