Kehinde Oluwagbemileke, a Nigerian man fighting for the Russian military in the ongoing war with Ukraine, has been captured by the Ukrainian forces.
According to Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” project, Oluwagbemileke was apprehended by the Freedom of Russia Legion, a unit composed of Russian fighters supporting Ukraine.
Aged 29, the Nigerian prisoner was captured in the Zaporizhzhia region after serving with Russian forces for five months.
He was said to have lived in Russia for four years before his arrest on drug-related charges.
Oluwagbemileke, however, struck a deal with Russian authorities to join the country’s military campaign in exchange for a reduced sentence under Article 228 of the Russian Criminal Code.
The organisation said: “Kehinde is one of thousands of mercenaries from third countries recruited by Russia’s Defence Ministry to fight in Ukraine.
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“We’ve already published data on nearly 7,000 foreign fighters from 14 countries, but that’s only a small part of the foreigners the Kremlin has sent to die in Ukraine.
“All of them are cheap manpower, which is not spared.”
A week ago, the Ukrainian Armed Forces captured another foreign soldier — a Chinese citizen fighting for the Russian Army.
He was identified as 24-year-old Wang Wu.
The Guardian transcribed the video shared by the legion with AI, and below is the conversation:
Interviewer: Our storm troopers 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).