A crisis amplified across the border

Friday, May 01, 2026 | 150 Views |

Raging on: The Russia Ukraine war exploded in February 2022 and has since sucked in citizens from all over the world PIC: GUARDIAN UK

While families in Botswana search for their three loved ones who are missing in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, across the border in Zimbabwe, the government has confirmed that 60 of its citizens are trapped in the war.

Information Minister Zhemu Soda told the media last month that at least 15 had died on the frontlines, after having been recruited to fight for Russia. The minister was quoted as saying the Zimbabweans had been lured by “shadowy agencies promising lucrative jobs abroad using social media platforms as their primary hunting ground".

"It is a sophisticated scheme of deception, exploitation, and human trafficking that has already resulted in the loss of Zimbabwean lives," he was quoted as saying.

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