Another Zimbabwean killed in Russia-Ukraine war

A Zimbabwean national has been killed in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, raising alarms over the increasing recruitment of vulnerable Africans into the war.

This follows the recent death of Mandla Ncube, whose family is still grappling with the news that he died after reportedly travelling to Russia seeking work opportunities.

A new investigative report by All Eyes on Wagner (AEOW), a French open-source intelligence initiative now part of Swiss NGO INPACT, has revealed that Zimbabwean nationals are among more than a thousand Africans recruited into the Russian army. The report, titled The Business of Despair and released on February 11, 2026, details what it describes as a systematic campaign targeting economically vulnerable African men.

AEOW obtained and verified a database containing 1,417 African recruits, of whom 316 have already been killed in action. Six Zimbabweans appear in the database, and one of them, Chivise Bryan-Bright (born 03/11/1991), is confirmed dead.

The report notes that recruitment has escalated since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with 177 Africans recruited in 2023, 592 in 2024, and 647 in 2025. The average age of recruits is 31, and of the 316 confirmed deaths, the average duration of service was just six months, with 51 dying within their first month on the frontlines.

Zipra liberation war hero Mayibongwe Mkandla described the trend as alarming. "To see young men leaving because there are no jobs and ending up fighting someone else's war is painful," he said. "War is not a contract you cancel when things go wrong. Once you are there, you are at the mercy of forces beyond you."

Opposition Nationalist Alliance Party (NAP) leader Devine Mhambi Hove said the situation was deeply concerning and called on the Zimbabwean government to take urgent action. "The reports surfacing are not just diplomatic ‘incidents' — they are a profound tragedy for the Zimbabwean family. We call on the government to break its silence, issue immediate travel warnings, and work with international bodies to bring our children home," he said.

Local activist and academic Melusi Nyathi also expressed concern over government inaction. "To make matters worse, our neighbours South Africa have taken a bold stance and called out Russia, leading to a number of victims being released," Nyathi said.

Repeated attempts to obtain a comment from Zimbabwe's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on ongoing investigations or travel warnings were unsuccessful.

The Business of Despair warns that without stronger monitoring, public awareness, and government intervention, more Africans — including Zimbabweans — could be drawn into the conflict, facing grave risks far from home.