The Russian Embassy in Nigeria has rejected the reports on the forced enlistment of Nigerian students in Russia into the Russian military before their visas can be renewed.
Russia’s denial follows a Monday report by Bloomberg detailing how Russia is allegedly coercing Nigerian students to join the fight against Ukraine before their visas are renewed, VisaGuide.World reports.
Russia Said Such Reports Are False & Damage Educational Cooperation
In this regard, Bloomberg had reported that Russia is allegedly sending thousands of migrants and international students, including Nigerians, to fight alongside its troops in the war against Ukraine in exchange for visa renewal.
Responding to these media reports, the Russian Federal Government has rejected all false allegations against it.
The Embassy of the Russian Federation is compelled to emphasize that such news is not only false but also damages Russian-Nigerian educational cooperation by misleading numerous scholarship and grant applicants as well as their partners, who could be extremely concerned by such fake.
The Embassy stated that Nigerian students can extend their visas while continuing their studies in Russia. It also added that numerous associations of Nigerian students in Russia have yet to report any issues in obtaining the necessary documentation to continue their stay in the country.
The Embassy welcomes the official press release of the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this matter and expresses gratitude to the Ministry and the Association of Nigerian Students in Moscow for their efforts in debunking the fake news aimed at undermining the friendship and cooperation between Russia and Nigeria.
An EU Official Claims Russia Has Detained Several Africans With Work Visas, Too
According to an EU official, Moscow has also withdrawn convicts from its prisons. At the same time, some Africans in Russia on work visas have been detained and forced to decide between deportation or fighting. He also said some could bribe officials to stay in the country and avoid military service.
Russia’s practice of sending immigrants and students into battle under pressure dates back to the beginning of the war. Those troops suffer particularly high casualty rates because they are increasingly deployed in dangerous offensive manoeuvres to protect better-trained units.
During the year 2023, the Wagner mercenary group recruited several African citizens as part of an effort to recruit convicts from Russian prisons for its forces in Ukraine.
Yevgeny Primakov, head of Rossotrudnichestvo, an organization dedicated to spreading knowledge about Russia abroad, revealed that there are currently 35,000-37,000 African students in Russia. He further pointed out that every year, about 6,500 students from Africa register to study in Russia for free.