Zimbabwe abstains from UN vote to end Russia-Ukraine war

Zimbabwe was among 51 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on lasting peace in the Russian-Ukraine conflict, a war that has claimed the lives of thousands, including African nationals. According to UN figures, over 15,000 civilians and 763 children have died in the four-year conflict.

Among the deceased is the late Zimbabwean Mandla Ncube, who was reportedly killed in Ukraine's Donbas region while fighting alongside Russian forces. His body remains abroad due to an identity crisis arising from his recruitment by shadowy networks promising financial gain. Reports indicate that Zimbabwean recruits are often transported via South Africa, particularly through KwaZulu-Natal, where they acquire fraudulent identity documents before being flown to Russia and officially recorded as South African nationals.

On Tuesday, the UN General Assembly voted on a resolution for lasting peace in Ukraine, which was supported by 107 countries. Zimbabwe, along with the United States, South Africa, Mozambique, and Uganda, chose to abstain.

In response, lawyer David Coltart criticised Harare's decision, calling it "immoral." "Would they have said that about apartheid or the Holocaust? It is simply morally unacceptable to turn a blind eye to the shocking violations of the UN Charter and basic human rights by the Putin regime," he wrote on X.

The European Union Delegation to Zimbabwe also voiced support for lasting peace, emphasising the importance of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and accountability. "A just and lasting peace in Ukraine is critical to reaffirm these principles and uphold the right of every sovereign nation to exist and make its own choices," the EU stated.

Concerns over African recruitment into the conflict were highlighted during a Zoom meeting held by the EU External Action Service on Friday. Vincent Gaudio, co-founder of INPACT Investigation, outlined how young Africans are lured through social media, misleading job offers, and travel agencies, and then deployed to the frontline. Many recruits, unable to read contracts in Cyrillic, are rapidly sent into combat, and some later become recruiters themselves.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the return of his country's nationals who had been lured into the war and announced a probe into their recruitment. The issue has sparked alarm across Africa, with Zimbabwe's abstention drawing scrutiny as experts warn of ongoing risks to African lives in the conflict.