Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube | Zim GBC News
HARARE – The Zimbabwean government has issued a stark warning to citizens against enlisting in foreign military forces, following disturbing reports that dozens of Zimbabweans have been lured to fight for Russia in its ongoing war with Ukraine under false pretenses.
In a strongly worded statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Permanent Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Ndavaningi Mangwana, expressed grave concern over the safety of Zimbabwean nationals abroad who may have been deceived into joining the conflict.
“Government strongly advises its citizens against enlisting in the military forces of other nations,” Mangwana said.
“We are gravely concerned for the safety and well-being of our nationals abroad.”
According to multiple reports, an unknown number of Zimbabweans, along with nationals from other African countries, have been recruited under the guise of security or driving jobs in Russia, only to find themselves thrust onto the frontlines of one of the world’s most brutal ongoing conflicts.
Several Zimbabweans are believed to have already lost their lives in areas of Ukraine currently occupied by Russian forces, while others who survived are desperately appealing for assistance to return home.
Mangwana highlighted the stark disparities in treatment that Zimbabwean recruits face once conscripted into foreign armies.
“Reports received indicate that in such circumstances, our compatriots may not always receive treatment equal to that of those nations’ service members,” he warned.
“Furthermore, in the event of a tragedy, the repatriation of mortal remains is a complex process that can deny families the crucial opportunity for closure.”
The Permanent Secretary emphasized that the safety of Zimbabweans remains a top priority for the government.
Adding to the warning, a former Zimbabwe National Army soldier who served in peacekeeping missions in Somalia, the DRC, Mozambique, and Angola spoke to Zim GBC News on condition of anonymity. He stressed that modern warfare bears no resemblance to video games or the lure of quick money.
“It takes serious training for one to be a combat soldier, let alone to fight in wars with complicated weapons like those used in the Russia-Ukraine war,” the veteran said.
“The battlefront has proven to many that war is not a game played on a computer or cellphone. You will die fighting on the frontline if you are not properly trained. These are not movies—this is real death.”
The warning comes amid growing international concern over foreign fighters being recruited into the Russian military, with African nationals reportedly being offered financial incentives that mask the deadly reality of trench warfare.
Human rights organizations have previously documented cases of foreign recruits being used as cannon fodder in conflict zones, with little regard for their safety or rights under international law.
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