Uganda Confirms 27 Citizens Dead or Missing in Russia's Army

The Government of Uganda confirmed that 27 of its citizens who enlisted in the Russian military to fight in Ukraine are dead or presumed dead. This confirmation follows a diplomatic communication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation to the Ugandan embassy in Moscow, which identified 11 confirmed deaths and 16 individuals who remain missing.

Ambassador Moses K. Kizige, Uganda's Head of Mission in Moscow, detailed the findings in an October 17 letter to the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Kizige noted that those listed as missing are effectively dead, though their bodies could not be located and they are not known to be prisoners of war. The investigation began in August 2026 after families of the recruits, represented by petitioner Innocent Kato, sought information on their relatives.

Additional reports indicate that five Ugandans remain in service until their contracts expire, while one individual, Robert Tumwebaze, fled embassy staff after being discharged from a military hospital in Nizhny Novgorod. The embassy is now urging the government to notify families to claim benefits.

These revelations coincide with parliamentary scrutiny in Uganda, where MP Patrick Katabaazi Kiconco raised concerns over the recruitment of 121 Ugandans into Russian forces. While the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has estimated that over 1,400 African citizens have fought for Russia, Russian authorities deny the illegal recruitment of African nationals.