Two Tanzanians reportedly killed fighting for Russian army

Two Tanzanian nationals have reportedly been killed while serving in the Russian Armed Forces, prompting opposition calls for an investigation into recruitment networks suspected of luring young Africans into the Russia-Ukraine war.

The two men, identified as Mosha Elikunda Elibapiki, 22, and Samimik Samveli Peter, 32, reportedly died in July 2025, according to Tanzanian newspaper The Citizen and StopRussianRecruiters.org.

The disclosures have renewed scrutiny of how Tanzanians are recruited into Russia’s military, with opposition party ACT-Wazalendo urging the government to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and seek answers from Moscow through diplomatic channels.

Shangwe Ayo, the party’s Deputy Secretary for Information, Publicity and Public Relations, said Tanzania’s diplomatic relations with Russia should not prevent authorities from investigating reports of citizens dying in the conflict.

Ayo urged the government to establish how the two men were recruited and investigate whether agents used false or misleading employment offers to persuade Tanzanians to travel abroad.

She also called for public warnings against suspicious overseas job offers, tighter monitoring of recruitment agencies and a system allowing job seekers to verify employment opportunities before travelling.

According to StopRussianRecruiters.org, a database launched in May 2026 by Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, at least 10 Tanzanians have reportedly signed contracts with Russia’s Ministry of Defence.

The database also records 485 African casualties linked to the conflict.

Human trafficking concerns

Tanzanian human rights activist Fulgence Massawe warned that recruiting citizens through false promises of civilian employment before deploying them to a foreign battlefield could amount to human trafficking and deceptive recruitment.

“This is not normal labour migration,” Massawe said, arguing that exploiting young people’s vulnerability through misleading job offers could constitute trafficking through fraud and deception.

He cited Tanzania’s Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2008 and international agreements ratified by the country as relevant legal frameworks.

Massawe urged the government to investigate the reported deaths, establish whether wrongdoing occurred and pursue accountability where evidence supports prosecution.

He also called for consular and legal assistance for Tanzanians who may still be caught up in similar circumstances, alongside support for families seeking information about missing or deceased relatives.

Earlier case of Nemes Tarimo

The reports have revived memories of Nemes Tarimo, a 37-year-old Tanzanian student who was killed while fighting for Russia’s Wagner Group in Ukraine in October 2022.

Tarimo had been serving a seven-year prison sentence after being convicted in a case involving drug-related offences when he was recruited by the Wagner Group, reportedly on the promise of payment and a reduced sentence or pardon.

His family had advised him against joining the fighting, but he proceeded in the hope of securing his freedom.

Recruitment concerns spread across Africa

The concerns extend beyond Tanzania, with reports from other African countries indicating that some job seekers have travelled to Russia after receiving offers of employment in factories, agriculture, hospitality and logistics.

Some are reportedly presented with military contracts after arriving in Russia, raising questions about whether they fully understand the terms of the agreements they sign.

In Zimbabwe, authorities have reportedly arrested nine people in connection with six human trafficking investigations launched in late March, with Russian nationals and local accomplices among those charged.

In Kenya, Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has cancelled the licences of 23 recruitment agencies over suspected irregularities.

The developments have intensified calls for African governments to strengthen oversight of international recruitment, improve public awareness of the risks associated with suspicious overseas employment offers and establish mechanisms to assist citizens who may have been deceived into joining foreign armed forces.