Ukrainian officials say Russia has tried to bolster the force attacking its smaller neighbour by recruiting fighters from a variety of countries, sometimes through subterfuge.

Andriy Sybiha said Russia was enticing Africans to sign contracts that he described as “equivalent to … a death sentence”, and urged African governments to warn their citizens.

“Foreign citizens in the Russian army have a sad fate,” he wrote on X.

“Most of them are immediately sent to the so-called ‘meat assaults’, where they are quickly killed,” he said.

South Africa said yesterday it would investigate how 17 of its citizens joined mercenary forces after the men sent distress calls for help to return home.

Kenya said last month that some of its citizens had been detained in military camps across Russia after unknowingly getting caught up in the conflict.

Sybiha said the total number of African recruits could be higher than the 1,436 identified, originating from 36 countries, and that most foreign mercenaries in Ukrainian custody had been captured during their first combat mission.

He said Ukraine would provide more specific information about the countries and regions from which Russia has recruited troops.