Ukraine says Nigerians killed in Russian unit after joining army in 2025, as intelligence warns foreigners over risks in the conflict

Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence on Wednesday reported that two Nigerian nationals, Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole and Mbah Stephen Udoka, were found dead in the Luhansk region after allegedly serving in a Russian military unit during the ongoing war in eastern Ukraine.

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The agency identified Kolawole, born April 3, 1983, and Udoka, born January 7, 1988, as members of the 423rd Guards Motor Rifle Regiment of the 4th Guards Kantemirovskaya Tank Division of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

The intelligence body said both men signed contracts with the Russian military in the second half of 2025.

According to the Ukrainian statement, Kolawole enlisted on August 29 while Udoka signed on September 28.

The agency alleged that Udoka was deployed within days of enlistment with little preparation and that no verifiable training record was found for Kolawole.

Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence stated that the two Nigerians were killed in late November during an operation in Luhansk.

The agency said the incident highlighted what it described as the grave risks faced by foreign nationals who travel to Russia for military engagements amid the conflict.

The development has not been independently verified, and there was no immediate response from Nigerian authorities at the time of filing this report.

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The Ukrainian agency used the case to issue a stark warning to foreign citizens against travelling to Russia for military-related work, cautioning that such decisions could have fatal consequences in the war zone.