African Back-Up Militiamen in the Russia Ukraine War: Between Legends and Realities.

Abstract

The outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, on 24 February 2022, caused an influx of foreigners – to the frontline – willing or forced to fight alongside one side or the other. These include an unknown number of African nationals whose role and fate seem to be of little interest to international opinion. In a conflict marked by propaganda and misinformation, this indifference contributes to the speculation on African back-up militiamen. This article therefore aims at highlighting the commitment of these fighters, by dissociating legend from reality. From a methodological perspective, our study draws on both scientific bibliographical references and various media sources (newspapers, podcasts). While some sources claim that thousands of people have expressed the desire to go to the front, consistent accounts tend to limit the number of African fighters to a few dozen in each camp, for most students or economic migrants recruited locally, including in prisons. It also appears that the motivations expressed by these “volunteers” stem from a mixture of vague idealism (defence of the host country) and real opportunism (gain, obtaining a passport, naturalization). Their military contribution seems to be reduced to risky tasks to inexperienced fighters, making them a veritable “cannon fodder”.