How Nigerian fighting for Russia was caught in Ukraine + full transcript of interview

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A new twist has been added to the Russia-Ukraine war as a Nigerian fighting on the side of Russian forces in Ukraine was captured by the Freedom of Russia Legion, a group of Russian fighters aligned with Ukraine.

Simply known as Kehinde Oluwagbemileke, the Nigerian was taken as a prisoner in the Zaporizhzhia region, according to a report by Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” project.

Indeed, the organisation, which assists Russian soldiers and foreign fighters in surrendering, said Kehinde had been living in Russia for four years and was involved in drug-related offences before being arrested.

However, instead of serving prison time under Article 228 of the Russian Criminal Code,Kehinde chose to serve in Russian military. He was said to have accepted a deal to fight in Russia’s so-called “special military operation” in exchange for a reduced sentence.

Kehinde, who fought for five months before the capture, was said to be one of thousands of mercenaries from third countries recruited by Russia’s Defense Ministry to fight in Ukraine.

Agency report stated that foreign nationals recruited by Russia are often misled about the risks and conditions they will face.

On the war front, they were said to be treated as expendable materials.

But despite the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issuing a warning to foreign nationals considering joining Russian forces, the enlistment continued as two Chinese, like Kehinde, has earlier shared similar stories of their conscription to fight for Russia.

[Interview Transcript]

Interviewer: Our stormtroopers have returned from a mission with an unusual trophy—Kehinde Oluwagbemileke. Apparently, due to a shortage of cannon fodder, Putin’s commanders are luring foreigners by deception to “defend the Motherland” in far-off Ukraine.

Interrogator: What is your passport?

Kehinde: Russian.

Interrogator: Russian passport?

Kehinde: Yes, Russian passport.

Interrogator: What did you do before?

Kehinde: Before?

Interrogator: Before joining the SVO. You joined the SVO?

Kehinde: Yes.

Interrogator: Why did you go to war?

Kehinde: For quick liberation.

Interrogator: Were you in prison?

Kehinde: Yes, in prison.

Interrogator: And then they freed you?

Kehinde: Yes.

Interrogator: How long have you been in the army?

Kehinde: Five months.

Interrogator: Five months? Where is your family?

Kehinde: In Nigeria.

Interrogator: In Nigeria? Does your family know you went to war?

Kehinde: No.

Interrogator: They don’t know? Do you regret it?

Kehinde: Of course.

Interrogator: Do you regret going?

Kehinde: Of course. It’s… broken. [points to wounds]

Interrogator: Broken. Most of them are 200s.

Kehinde: Yes, yes.

Interrogator: How many 200s do you have? How many from your unit are alive? How many died?

Kehinde: Well, we were four. We went. One 200, the rest 300.

Interrogator: One 200, the rest 300. Lucky to be alive.

Kehinde: Lucky I’m alive.

Interrogator: You are lucky, yes. What did you do before that?

Kehinde: Translator.

Interrogator: Translator?

Kehinde: Yes. English to Russian.

Interrogator: Who did you translate for?

Kehinde: For those who don’t speak Russian.

Interrogator: In Russian?

Kehinde: Yes. There are people from South America, Africans, and Chinese.

Interrogator: Many Chinese?

Kehinde: Well, there were five or six of them there.

Interrogator: And Africans?

Kehinde: Africans, four people. With me, five—Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon.

Interrogator: Did you come to study? Why Russia? You had nowhere else to go?

Kehinde: An adventure.

Interrogator: An adventure?

Medic: We’re going to inject you. This is an antibiotic, so your wounds don’t fester. Don’t flinch.

Kehinde: Oh. You’re so delicate everywhere. That’s good.

Medic: This is for the wounds.

Kehinde: Thank you. Thank you again. I am very grateful to the Freedom of Russia Legion for saving my life and providing assistance, as you can see. And thank you. Thank you again.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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