One Ghanaian man among the 14 men who were supposedly forced into Russia’s war with Ukraine fears his days on earth are numbered as he recounts the horrors of being trapped on the frontlines of the war.
After leaving their homes in search of brighter prospects, they ended up entangled in a war they didn’t understand or want to fight.
A phone vendor in Accra’s busy Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Michael, 33 (not his real name), was stranded on the frontlines of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. He noticed a chance that he thought would transform his life in June 2024 when he was fed up with his financial difficulties.
“I borrowed GH¢20,000 from family members and added it to my savings to pay for the visa and flight,” he said.
Another victim, Joseph (not his real name, also trapped on the frontlines in Donetsk), added, “We paid the money to our agent because we trusted him. He’s my nephew.”
Allegedly organised by a man named Abraham Boakye, the group of 14 men was enticed by promises of lucrative security and agricultural work in Russia. With hope in their hearts, they paid their way through Togo and arrived in Russia on August 6, 2024. But their hopes were abruptly dashed when they arrived in Kostroma, northeast of Moscow.
The men said that before beginning work, they were informed that they required military training rather than being hired. After a Russian team gained control of them, they were presented with a contract that was written entirely in Russian, which none of them could understand.
They signed, and their passports were seized shortly after. They were taken to the Donetsk oblast in Ukraine, which is under Russian occupation, after 21 days of training. This marked the start of their nightmare.
Three of the men who were able to speak with Media General’s Godwin Asidiba, told of being detained against their will and compelled to serve in hazardous positions in support of Russia’s war effort.
Their duties included transporting the dead bodies of fallen soldiers and delivering bombs to the frontlines. Drenched in misery and terror, a daily habit was to walk three hours to the frontlines.
As his health deteriorated, one of them near the frontlines of the conflict said, “I can’t stand without assistance.” To keep me going, they give me drug injections. “I just want to go home,” he told the reporter over the phone.
The trek has caused more than just bodily wounds. Numerous members of their group are either deceased, unaccounted for, or suffering from permanent injuries.
Back in Ghana, their families live in anguish, appealing to authorities for help but receiving no tangible response.
In an attempt to improve their future, one of the guys, Adjei (not his real name), left his wife and two kids in Ghana. After making his initial payment of 400,000 rubles, he fulfilled his pledge by sending money home.
In order to spare their families the harsh reality, his coworkers – Michael and Joseph (not their real names), also gave money to create the impression that everything was well.
However, the men are tired. Even their families are frustrated. No action has been taken despite multiple reports to the Ghana Police Headquarters, according to a report by 3news.com.
Gideon Sarfo, Michael’s nephew, voiced his annoyance: “We’ve been waiting for answers, but all we get are closed doors and broken promises. My uncle’s life is at stake, and no one seems to care.”
With her own health problems, Michael’s mother is inconsolable. “She’s had a stroke and asks about him every day. If she learns the truth, it might kill her,” a family member disclosed.
Escaping the War:
Some men have escaped and are risking their lives to return to Ghana. One escapee recounted their harrowing trek across hazardous terrain while dodging Russian forces.
“We witnessed our friends’ deaths up close. We did not wish to suffer the same fate,” one person said, adding that, “We battled our way out.”
However, the report said Ghana’s National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) arrested the escapees for interrogation upon their arrival. Their identification documents were seized despite their eventual release, and they are still living in hiding out of fear of more consequences.
“Because they thought I might be working with the National Intelligence Bureau, the men in Kumasi declined to meet when I asked them to do an interview. Their psychosis highlights the severe trauma they experienced.
“Attempts to contact the Ghanaian Embassy in Russia via email and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by visiting their office in Accra have not been answered. According to sources, both organisations are aware of the problem but have done nothing about it,” the journalist who uncovered this story said.
In the meantime, there has been no success in finding the purported recruiter, Abraham Boakye. Following reports that the case is being investigated, his office in Dome, Accra, is still locked.
Their agony was exacerbated when Boakye reportedly embezzled 130,000 rubles from each man’s initial 400,000 ruble salary.
For these men, their quest for a better life has evolved into a last-ditch effort to survive. As they hold out hope for a rescue that appears more and more elusive, their anguish grows with every moment that goes by.