Ukraine captures Nigerian Mercenary, Kehinde Olowogbemileke fighting for Russia

A Nigerian national, Kehinde Oluwagbemileke, who had been fighting alongside Russian forces in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, has reportedly been captured by Ukrainian troops.

According to Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” initiative, he was apprehended by the Freedom of Russia Legion—a group of Russian combatants allied with Ukraine.

The 29-year-old Nigerian was taken into custody in the Zaporizhzhia region after serving with the Russian military for five months. Prior to this, he had spent four years living in Russia, where he was arrested for a drug-related offense.

Instead of serving a prison sentence under Article 228 of the Russian Criminal Code, he allegedly agreed to participate in the war in exchange for a reduced sentence. Ukraine’s project claims Kehinde is among thousands of foreign mercenaries recruited by Russia’s Ministry of Defence to bolster its forces in the war against Ukraine.

“Kehinde is one of thousands of mercenaries from third countries recruited by Russia’s Defence Ministry to fight in Ukraine.

“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,” the organisation stated.

A week ago, the Ukrainian Armed Forces captured another foreign soldier — a Chinese citizen fighting for the Russian Army.

He was identified as 24-year-old Wang Wu.

Using AI, The Guardian transcribed the video shared by the legion. Below is the conversation:

Interviewer: Our stormtroopers have returned from a mission with an unusual trophy—Kehinde Oluwagbemileke. Apparently, due to a shortage of cannon fodder, Putin’s commanders are luring foreigners by deception to “defend the Motherland” in far-off Ukraine.

Interrogator: What is your passport?

Kehinde: Russian.

Interrogator: Russian passport?

Kehinde: Yes, Russian passport.

Interrogator: What did you do before?

Kehinde: Before?

Interrogator: Before joining the SVO. You joined the SVO?

Kehinde: Yes.

Interrogator: Why did you go to war?

Kehinde: For quick liberation.

Interrogator: Were you in prison?

Kehinde: Yes, in prison.

Interrogator: And then they freed you?

Kehinde: Yes.

Interrogator: How long have you been in the Army?

Kehinde: Five months.

Interrogator: Five months? Where is your family?

Kehinde: In Nigeria.

Interrogator: In Nigeria? Does your family know you went to war?

Kehinde: No.

Interrogator: They don’t know? Do you regret it?

Kehinde: Of course.

Interrogator: Do you regret going?

Kehinde: Of course. It’s… broken. (points to wounds)

Interrogator: Broken. Most of them are 200s.

Kehinde: Yes, yes.

Interrogator: How many 200s do you have? How many from your unit are alive? How many died?

Kehinde: Well, we were four. We went. One 200, the rest 300.

Interrogator: One 200, the rest 300. Lucky to be alive.

Kehinde: Lucky I’m alive.

Interrogator: You are lucky, yes. What did you do before that?

Kehinde: Translator.

Interrogator: Translator?

Kehinde: Yes. English to Russian.

Interrogator: Who did you translate for?

Kehinde: For those who don’t speak Russian.

Interrogator: In Russia?

Kehinde: Yes. There are people from South America, Africans, and Chinese.

Interrogator: Many Chinese?

Kehinde: Well, there were five or six of them there.

Interrogator: And Africans?

Kehinde: Africans, four people. With me, five—Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon.

Interrogator: Did you come to study? Why Russia? You had nowhere else to go?

Kehinde: An adventure.

Interrogator: An adventure?

Medic: We’re going to inject you. This is an antibiotic, so your wounds don’t fester. Don’t flinch.

Kehinde: Oh. You’re so delicate everywhere. That’s good.

Medic: This is for the wounds.

Kehinde: Thank you. Thank you again. I am very grateful to the Freedom of Russia Legion for saving my life and providing assistance, as you can see. And thank you. Thank you again.