New York, N.Y. – The war in Ukraine has drawn thousands of soldiers from across Russia and its neighboring regions. But among them are also fighters from Africa, Asia and the Middle East — many from countries often described as part of the Global South — whose reasons for joining the conflict range from financial desperation to political beliefs.
One such case is that of Nemes Raymond Taremo, a Tanzanian national who died fighting in eastern Ukraine after being recruited by Russia’s private military company, the Wagner Group.
Taremo’s family in Tanzania first heard rumors of his death in late 2022. Months earlier, the 37-year-old had sent his final message after leaving a Russian prison where he had been serving a sentence on drug-related charges. According to relatives, he had agreed to join Wagner forces fighting near the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut in exchange for a promise of freedom and financial reward.
Weeks later, he was dead.
His body was eventually returned to Tanzania only after family members protested outside the Russian embassy in the capital, Dar es Salaam. Even then, relatives say they received little information about the circumstances of his death.
Prison recruitment and promises of freedom
Taremo’s story mirrors that of several foreign nationals who were recruited into the Wagner Group from Russian prisons during the early stages of the war. The mercenary organization, which has operated alongside Russian forces in multiple conflicts, offered inmates amnesty after six months of combat.
Another foreign recruit, Zambian student Lemekani Nathan Nyirenda, was also reportedly recruited from prison and later killed in Ukraine.
While Russia has never released official statistics on foreign casualties, independent counts by journalists suggest that at least hundreds of non-Russian fighters have died since the invasion began.
Many of these recruits come from former Soviet republics in Central Asia, including Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Others originate from Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
Ideology and geopolitics
Not all foreign volunteers are motivated purely by money or a chance to escape prison.
Some see Russia as a counterweight to Western influence. Among them is Kavinda Wijerathna, a former marine from Sri Lanka who has publicly expressed interest in joining the Russian army. He says he believes Russia is standing up to Western powers and defending the interests of countries in the Global South.
Supporters like Wijerathna often echo narratives promoted by Russian state media — including the claim that the war is a defensive struggle against Western-backed Ukraine.
Russia’s leadership, including President Vladimir Putin, has framed the conflict as part of a broader geopolitical confrontation with NATO and the West.
Economic incentives
For many potential recruits, however, ideology appears secondary to financial opportunity.
Reports from African and Middle Eastern media outlets have described large crowds gathering outside Russian diplomatic missions seeking to enlist. In some cases, applicants hoped to earn salaries of around $2,000 per month — far higher than average wages in their home countries.
Foreign contract soldiers have also been promised a faster path to Russian citizenship for themselves and their families.
Families left with unanswered questions
Back in Tanzania, Taremo’s relatives say they still have little understanding of the agreement he made before heading to the front lines.
Despite being described as a “hero” by some Russian sources, his family says they have received neither compensation nor clear explanations.
For them, the geopolitical arguments surrounding the war offer little comfort.
“What benefit is there for us now that he is already dead?” one relative asked.