62 Ghanaians Killed, 15 Missing in Russia-Ukraine War

Accra Evening News

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has disclosed that 62 Ghanaians have died and 15 others remain missing after travelling to Russia amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Mr Ablakwa made the disclosure during a press conference in Moscow following bilateral engagements with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

According to the Minister, Ghana raised the issue of the illegal recruitment of Ghanaian youth during the discussions, particularly the recruitment of young people who are lured to Russia and subsequently end up fighting in the war.

He said the increasing number of Ghanaian deaths had made the matter an important concern for the Government of Ghana.

Mr Ablakwa welcomed a commitment from the Russian Government to work with Ghana to prevent the illegal enlistment of Ghanaian citizens into the conflict.

“The Government of Ghana will continue to lead advocacy on this matter and ensure that our youth are protected from harm’s way,” he said.

The Minister said Ghana would continue engaging the Russian authorities on the issue and work towards preventing further recruitment of Ghanaian youth into the war.

“This is not our war and it should not be claiming Ghanaian lives,” Mr Ablakwa said.

The latest figures bring the number of confirmed Ghanaian deaths cited by the Foreign Affairs Minister to 62, while 15 Ghanaians who travelled to Russia remain unaccounted for.

Mr Ablakwa’s comments followed his bilateral engagement with Mr Lavrov in Moscow, where the protection of Ghanaian citizens and cooperation between the two countries formed part of the discussions.

The Foreign Affairs Minister said the Government would continue its advocacy to ensure that Ghanaian youth are protected from being illegally recruited into the conflict.