Zimbabwean fighter's body stuck in Russia

The body of Mandla Ncube, a Zimbabwean killed while fighting in Ukraine, remains stranded in Russia amid confusion over his identity, prolonging his family's grief and exposing clandestine networks allegedly recruiting African fighters under false nationalities.

Ncube was recently killed in the Donbas region while aligned with Russian forces. Sources indicate that Russian authorities are delaying repatriation because he reportedly entered the country using South African identity documents, despite being Zimbabwean by birth. This discrepancy has complicated official processes, with authorities still determining which country has jurisdiction over his case.

The case has renewed scrutiny of shadowy syndicates accused of recruiting Zimbabweans and other Africans to fight in Ukraine. Investigations suggest these networks target unemployed youths with promises of lucrative overseas work, transporting them to South Africa - mainly through KwaZulu-Natal - where fraudulent identity documents are issued. Recruits are then flown to Russia and officially registered as South African nationals, making tracing and repatriation extremely difficult if they are killed or injured.

Last week, five South Africans appeared in court for allegedly recruiting young people to fight in Ukraine in violation of the country's Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act. Among them is a 39-year-old freelance journalist previously identified as a mastermind of the operation. They were later granted bail.

A recent report by the investigative collective All Eyes On Wagner, titled The Business of Despair, documented recruitment networks operating across Africa and Russia. The report lists 1,417 fighters from 35 African countries who enlisted between 2023 and mid-2025. Some joined voluntarily for salaries, while others were deceived by false job offers or pressured into military contracts.

The investigation revealed that recruiters often employed travel agencies offering "fast-track" visas and used social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, and TikTok, to glamorise life in Russia with images of skyscrapers and luxury cars. Victims signed contracts worth €10,000–15,000 (US$13,500–20,300) with foreign companies handling visas and travel. Upon arrival, recruits receive minimal military training—sometimes as little as two weeks—before being deployed to the frontlines in Ukraine.

Former Patrick Msongelwa Dube warned of the dangers: "War is not a movie and it is not a quick way to make money. Those recruiting these youths are not telling them about the trauma, the injuries and the permanent scars, both physical and psychological. Our young people must not allow desperation to push them into a battlefield they do not fully understand."

Opposition figures echoed the warnings. Ndodana Moyo urged vigilance, saying, "We cannot allow our children to be lured into a foreign war under false promises — the risks are grave and the consequences devastating." Activist Alfred Dzirutwe added: "Whenever someone suddenly offers ‘jobs' in Russia with unbelievable benefits, that should raise immediate red flags. These are often recruitment pipelines into a brutal war."

Bulawayo-based Ibhetshu LikaZulu secretary-general Mbuso Fuzwayo called on the government to act decisively, highlighting the failure to recover bodies or confirm identities as a "complete breakdown in protection mechanisms."

Reports indicate recruits are offered sign-on fees of around US$10,000 and monthly salaries up to US$2,500, plus combat allowances and residency benefits. Southern Africa, particularly South Africa, serves as the main exit point, with some recruits leaving through Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport. To avoid scrutiny, recruits sign contracts for civilian jobs before being isolated in hotels for up to two weeks while visas are processed and departure times are kept secret.

Following similar cases, Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi announced a visit to Moscow in March after the deaths of more than 30 Kenyans recruited under false pretenses. Mudavadi said several victims had been evacuated from Russia, and recruitment agencies in East Africa had been shut down.

The Ncube case underscores the risks faced by African youths recruited under deceptive conditions, raising urgent questions about government oversight, cross-border coordination, and protections for citizens enticed into foreign conflicts.