Ukrainian military intelligence has officially identified two Nigerian men whose bodies were recovered in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine after they were killed while serving with Russian forces, authorities said.
According to Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence, the deceased were Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole, 42, and Mbah Stephen Udoka, 38, both of whom had signed contracts with the Russian Armed Forces’ 423rd Guards Motor Rifle Regiment in the second half of 2025.
The intelligence statement said neither man received formal military training before being sent to the front lines, with Udoka deployed only days after signing his contract.
Their bodies were discovered in late November 2025 following a drone strike that hit their unit during an attempt to advance on Ukrainian positions near Luhansk.
Ukraine’s defence officials have warned foreign nationals against travelling to Russia or taking up employment there, saying such trips carry a risk of being drawn into combat roles with little preparation.
Kolawole is survived by his wife and three children back in Nigeria, authorities noted.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022, has drawn international scrutiny not only for its humanitarian impact but also for recruitment practices involving foreign fighters on both sides of the conflict.
