Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine — July 5, 2025
Ukrainian forces have captured a Nigerian man, 29-year-old Kehinde Oluwagbemileke, who was reportedly fighting on the side of the Russian military in the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia.
According to Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” project, Oluwagbemileke was apprehended in the Zaporizhzhia region by the Freedom of Russia Legion — a military unit made up of Russian nationals who have turned against the Kremlin and now support Ukraine.
The project disclosed that Oluwagbemileke had been living in Russia for the past four years prior to his arrest on drug-related charges. Rather than serve a prison term under Article 228 of the Russian Criminal Code, he allegedly accepted an offer to join Russia’s military campaign in exchange for a reduced sentence.
“Kehinde is one of thousands of mercenaries from third countries recruited by Russia’s Defence Ministry to fight in Ukraine,” the Ukrainian organization revealed. “We’ve already published data on nearly 7,000 foreign fighters from 14 countries, but that’s only a small part of the foreigners the Kremlin has sent to die in Ukraine. All of them are cheap manpower, which is not spared.”
Oluwagbemileke is said to have served with the Russian forces for five months before his capture.
This incident highlights a growing trend of foreign nationals being recruited to fight for Russia in the war. Just a week earlier, Ukrainian troops reportedly captured a 24-year-old Chinese citizen, Wang Wu, also fighting on the side of the Russian Army.
Ukrainian authorities have not disclosed what legal or diplomatic steps will be taken following the capture of the Nigerian national. The development, however, underscores Russia’s continued reliance on foreign fighters as the conflict drags on.