Russia denies official role in recruiting Nigerians for Ukraine war
The Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Andrey Podyolyshev, has dismissed allegations that Moscow is operating any state-backed scheme to enlist Nigerians to fight in the war in Ukraine.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, the envoy said that if any individuals or organisations were attempting to recruit Nigerians under false pretences, such actions were not authorised by the Russian government.
“There is no government-supported programme to recruit Nigerians to fight in Ukraine,” Podyolyshev said. “If there are illegal organisations or individuals trying to recruit Nigerians by unlawful means, this is not connected with the Russian state.”
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His comments followed reports claiming that some Nigerians were lured with promises of security-related jobs in Russia, only to be sent to the conflict front after undergoing brief training.
The ambassador said Russia was willing to act on any verifiable information brought to its attention.
“If anybody has this information, we are ready to send it to Russian law enforcement authorities so they can investigate those cases,” he said.
Podyolyshev also took a swipe at Western media coverage, including a recent investigation that alleged Nigerians had been deceived into joining the war. According to him, such reports were aimed at portraying Russia negatively.
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“You are receiving information from Western sources. Their main task is to demonise Russia. If you want to know the real situation, you should send journalists to Russia to understand what is really happening,” he said.
While admitting that some Nigerians might be in the conflict zone, he maintained there was no official policy supporting their involvement.
“There are such Nigerians, I know, but there is no government-supported programme to recruit them. If there are agencies, including Russian agencies, violating Russian law, we are ready to transmit this information to our law enforcement authorities,” he added.
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Defence, economy
Beyond the controversy, the ambassador said Russia and Nigeria were exploring deeper cooperation in defence and security, including possible arms supplies and military training.
“We are discussing the possibilities of supplying Russian weaponry and training military personnel in Russia, maybe here in Nigeria,” he said. “We are ready to develop cooperation with Nigeria in the military field as much as the Nigerian side wishes. This strengthens Nigeria’s ability to fight terrorism and piracy.”
Podyolyshev also urged stronger economic collaboration, noting that the last meeting of the Russia–Nigeria Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation took place about a decade ago.
“We need the support of our governments if we want to realise some big projects. Without that support, it is very difficult to move forward,” he said.
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‘Strategic partner’
Describing Nigeria as a country of major importance, the envoy said Abuja’s political and economic weight made it central to Russia’s interests in West Africa.
“Nigeria is one of the key states on the continent and the leading link in West Africa. It has major political and economic weight in Africa and globally,” he said.
He highlighted Nigeria’s leadership roles within ECOWAS and the African Union, recalling its peacekeeping missions in Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia.
“For Russia, Nigeria is a partner of strategic importance. Cooperation with Nigeria largely shapes our prospects in West Africa,” he said.
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Education, energy ties
Podyolyshev added that education and energy remained major pillars of bilateral relations, which date back to the Soviet era.
“Thousands of Nigerians studied in the Soviet Union in engineering, medicine and other fields, and this continues today. Each year, Nigerian students enter Russian universities on state quotas,” he said.
In energy, he pointed to ongoing plans to establish a Centre for Nuclear Science and Technology in Nigeria, with prospects for a future nuclear power plant.
Looking ahead, the ambassador said Nigeria had the potential to emerge as one of the global centres of influence in a multipolar world.
“Russia is interested in Nigeria’s rise, and as Nigeria’s influence grows, the scope for a global Russia–Nigeria partnership will expand,” he said.
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