A 29-year-old Nigerian national, Kehinde Oluwagbemileke, has been captured by Ukraine-aligned forces while fighting for the Russian military in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Kehinde was apprehended by the Freedom of Russia Legion — a paramilitary group composed of anti-Kremlin Russian fighters supporting Ukraine — in the Zaporizhzhia region, a key frontline in the conflict.
According to verified information from Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” project, a government-backed initiative facilitating the safe surrender of Russian and foreign combatants, Kehinde had been living in Russia for four years before joining the war.
Sources reveal that prior to his capture, Kehinde had been arrested on drug-related charges and was facing prosecution under Article 228 of the Russian Criminal Code. In a bid to avoid serving a lengthy prison sentence, he allegedly agreed to a deal that allowed him to join Russia’s so-called “special military operation” in exchange for a reduced sentence.
Kehinde is now in the custody of Ukrainian-aligned forces, and his case highlights the increasing use of foreign nationals by the Russian military through legal coercion and criminal plea bargains.
Ukrainian officials have not yet confirmed whether he will be repatriated, prosecuted, or held as a prisoner of war under international law.