Ukraine invites Ghana’s Ablakwa to Kyiv, grants access to detained citizen

Ukraine has invited Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to visit Kyiv in February 2026 and confirmed that Ghanaian diplomats will be granted access to a Ghanaian national currently detained in the conflict zone.

The announcement came via a tweet on Wednesday, 7 January 2026, from Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, following Ghana’s request for the return of its citizen, who is reported to have been captured while fighting as a Russian mercenary.

Sybiha stated that Ghanaian officials would be allowed access to prisoners of war under international humanitarian law. “Ghanaian diplomats will be granted access to prisoners of war upon their request, and we stand ready to discuss this issue in a substantive manner,” he said, reiterating the invitation for Ablakwa to visit Kyiv.

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Ghana has initiated high-level diplomatic efforts to secure the detainee’s release amid the ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict. Foreign Affairs Minister Ablakwa confirmed that Ukrainian authorities officially notified Ghana of the arrest and that Ghanaian officials have verified the detainee’s nationality and identity.

According to Ablakwa, preliminary evidence indicates that the Ghanaian arrived in Moscow, Russia, on 7 July 2024, where he reportedly signed a contract to join the 2nd Assault Company of the 71st Motorised Rifle Regiment under the 42nd Motorised Rifle Division. He is reported to have taken part in hostilities in the Zaporizhzhia region before being captured.

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Ablakwa also said he met with the Acting Ambassador of Ukraine to Ghana, Ivan Lukachuk, to formally appeal for the detainee’s release. A special diplomatic message has been sent to Kyiv, and Ablakwa plans to travel to Ukraine in the coming weeks to advance negotiations.

Sybiha concluded by emphasising Kyiv’s readiness for constructive engagement. “We look forward to engaging with the Ghanaian side in a spirit of friendship and mutual respect,” he said, signalling a willingness for diplomatic dialogue on the issue.

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