Zelensky cautions Mahama to protect Ghanaians from being recruited by Russia amid Ukraine war

Nii Ayitey Brown 15:06 - 28 September 2026

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (left) and President John Dramani Mahama (right)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has named Ghana among 47 countries whose citizens he says Russia is using in the war and urged their governments to protect them.

Zelenskyy has named Ghana among 47 countries whose citizens he says are being used by Russia in the Ukraine war.
Ghana said in July that 272 of its citizens had reportedly been recruited into the conflict, with 55 deaths and two prisoners of war reported at the time.
The Ghana government has been investigating alleged fraudulent recruitment networks and engaging foreign authorities over affected citizens.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Ghana and 46 other countries to protect their citizens from being drawn into Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Zelenskyy made the appeal while addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 23, 2026, where he said Russia was using citizens from 47 countries in its war.

Ghana was among the countries he pointed to, alongside Nepal, Tajikistan, India, Yemen, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Belarus and South Africa, among others.

President Mahama addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York

Addressing representatives of the countries, Zelenskyy said:

We know that Russia uses citizens of 47 countries in its war, and this war. Ghana, Nepal, India, Yemen, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Belarus, Sudan, South Africa, many, many others.

“You know what Russia is doing with your people, your citizens. Take care of them and do not let them end up on another front. Do not let Putin drag you into this war. Do not let Russia put out its fires, cover up its shame and pay for its madness with the lives of your people. Limit his room to act. Limit his money. Limit his war,” he added.

He identified that Russia uses tricks and deception tactics to lure people from these countries to help fight the war and the outcome of these recruitments is death of the citizens

“And through the videos from our drones we also see people dying on the battlefield who are not Russians, people from your countries, 47 countries who ended up in Russia through deception and tricks. So I want to speak directly to every representative of these 47 countries," he said.

In July, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the government was investigating alleged criminal recruitment networks after 272 Ghanaian nationals were reported to have been drafted into the conflict through fraudulent overseas employment schemes.

Ablakwa said 55 of the reported Ghanaian recruits had died, while two were being held as prisoners of war.

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