Equatorial Guinea Youth Warns Against Russian Recruitment Trap

A 22-year-old Equatorial Guinean, Daniel Angel Masie Nchama, has warned young people against deceptive recruitment offers after he was lured to Russia with promises of military training, bodyguard work, before being sent to fight in Ukraine.

Nchama said he travelled to Russia in December 2025 after being persuaded by a Cameroonian recruiter that he would receive military training, secure employment as a bodyguard. However, upon arrival, he was allegedly pressured into signing documents he could not understand, after which his passport was confiscated.

He said his group received only two weeks of basic training before being transferred to Ukraine, where they underwent further training before being sent towards the frontline. He recalled encountering other Africans, including Nigerians, Cameroonians, Libyans, alongside Colombians.

Nchama described the conditions he experienced as extremely difficult, saying he endured severe cold, hunger, fear, while members of the units he joined suffered heavy losses. He later alerted his parents to his situation, prompting the Equatorial Guinean government to intervene diplomatically.

After returning to Russia, Nchama said he was offered further incentives, including the possibility of a Russian passport, but eventually escaped with assistance from his country's ambassador. His father has since urged young people seeking opportunities abroad to be cautious about vague offers that could put their lives at risk.