We didn’t force anyone to the warfront - Russia

Friday, May 01, 2026 | 200 Views |

While parents and relatives are in distress searching for their family members, whom they believe were duped into the Russia-Ukraine war, Russia says those who went to the war did so voluntarily.

While the last official comment from the International Relations minister, Phenyo Butale, was that the two countries were engaging, Russia, through its Embassy in Botswana, has said that all those who joined them in the war against Ukraine did so voluntarily.

The comments, made by the Embassy of Russia in a written response to Mmegi enquiries, represent a rare occasion when Russia speaks on the recruitment of Africans to the war front.

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