KYIV, UKRAINE – A Nigerian national, Kehinde Oluwagbemileke, who was fighting for the Russian military in the ongoing war with Ukraine, has been captured by Ukrainian forces. The 29-year-old reportedly joined the Russian ranks to avoid a prison sentence for drug-related charges.
His apprehension was announced by Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” project, stating he was captured by the Freedom of Russia Legion, a unit comprised of Russian citizens fighting on Ukraine’s side. Oluwagbemileke was apprehended in the Zaporizhzhia region after serving with Russian forces for five months.
Details emerging from the “I Want to Live” project reveal Oluwagbemileke had been residing in Russia for four years prior to his arrest. He was reportedly arrested on drug-related charges, falling under Article 228 of the Russian Criminal Code, which pertains to the illegal acquisition, storage, transportation, manufacture, and processing of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, or their analogues.
Faced with a potential prison sentence, he allegedly agreed to join Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine in exchange for a reduced sentence, effectively trading combat duty for freedom.
Oluwagbemileke’s case highlights a growing trend of Russia recruiting foreign nationals, often from third countries, to bolster its military efforts in Ukraine. The “I Want to Live” organization explicitly stated, “Kehinde is one of thousands of mercenaries from third countries recruited by Russia’s Defence Ministry to fight in Ukraine.”
They further elaborated on the scale of this recruitment, saying, “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.” The organization characterized these recruits as “cheap manpower, which is not spared,” suggesting a transactional and expendable view of these foreign fighters by the Russian military.
His capture sheds light on the complex motivations driving individuals from diverse backgrounds to partake in the conflict, often under duress or in desperate circumstances.
