Uganda Embassy in Moscow Names 35 Citizens Allegedly Enlisted in Russian Army

• The Ugandan Embassy in Moscow published a formal diplomatic note, reference XM/ADM/26, dated August 19, 2026, naming 35 citizens it believes are serving in the Russian military
• The embassy addressed the note directly to Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requesting a status update on the whereabouts and condition of each named individual
• Uganda's move follows a broader pattern of deceptive recruitment across Africa, with Kenya's government recording over 1,000 of its nationals funnelled into Russian forces

The Ugandan Embassy in Moscow has formally named 35 of its nationals who are believed to have been enlisted into the Russian military without the knowledge or authorisation of the Ugandan government, marking a rare and significant diplomatic intervention.

The embassy issued the note, carrying reference number XM/ADM/26 and dated August 19, 2026, from its offices at Mytnaya Ulitsa 1, Bldg. 1 in Moscow.

The document, addressed to the Department of African States (Sub-Saharan Africa) at Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, formally requests information on the whereabouts, legal status, and physical condition of each of the 35 named individuals, described as "believed to be serving in the Russian Army, in the Zone of Special Military Operations."

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The Full List of 35 Named Ugandans

The released list comprises the following individuals, complete with passport numbers and dates of birth:

1. Tindyebwa Maxima — date of birth: 25/07/1989

2. Guma Daniel — date of birth: 25/07/1989

3. Tumwebaze Robert — date of birth: 18/08/1976

4. Bugiri Ronald — date of birth: 22/11/1981

5. Male John — date of birth: 02/02/1983

6. Twebaze Darius — date of birth: 29/09/1980

7. Katurebe Alex — date of birth: 02/02/1988

8. Ngabirano Francis — date of birth: 02/06/1981

9. Mukasa Miiro — date of birth: 15/02/1985

10. Agaba Innocent — date of birth: 24/04/1988

11. Kwesiga Eric — date of birth: 24/08/1994

12. Kusima Kosiaa — date of birth: 03/03/1984

13. Kasule Levi — date of birth: 09/11/1981

14. Kakuru Johnson — date of birth: 23/10/1982

15. Mugisa Bigirwa — date of birth: 13/05/1983

16. Mwebaze Rogers — date of birth: 16/07/1992

17. Musasizi Edwin — date of birth: 08/10/1985

18. Twine Richard — date of birth: 27/10/1984

19. Arineitwe Benson Dornald — date of birth: 08/05/1982

20. Mawejje Junior Moses — date of birth: 13/12/1982

21. Byamugisha Pius — date of birth: 20/08/1986

22. Musisi Vicent — date of birth: 09/02/1990

23. Barigye Evarist — date of birth: 07/02/1986

24. Mugyenyi Nelson — date of birth: 04/04/1978

25. Akanshabira Alex — date of birth: 07/09/1985

26. Buyondo David — date of birth: 11/11/1980

27. Kamugira Godfrey — date of birth: 12/04/2000

28. Mugabi Honest — date of birth: 10/06/1993

29. Ssekisibo David Kiwanuka — date of birth: 01/01/1973

30. Bamutiina Henry Rwakiiziri — date of birth: 24/06/1968

31. Muhame Stephen — date of birth: 26/12/1975

32. Kisakye Eric — date of birth: 03/08/1999

33. Tenywa Ronald Samula — date of birth: 10/01/1987

34. Kyoffa William — date of birth: 01/01/1974

35. Lukwita Nelson — date of birth: 11/09/1989

The dates of birth span more than three decades, from 1968 to 2000. The oldest individual named, Bamutiina Henry Rwakiiziri, was born in June 1968, while the youngest, Kamugira Godfrey, was born in April 2000.

One entry, that of Ngabirano Francis, lists the passport number as "not clear," reflecting the difficulties authorities face in tracing citizens who may have been moved through unofficial channels.

Kenya's Experience Illustrates the Scale of the Problem

Uganda's petition mirrors a crisis that has been more extensively documented in Kenya.

A report by Kenya's National Intelligence Service in February 2026 indicated that more than 1,000 Kenyans had been channelled into the Russian military through a combination of fake job offers and rogue officials.

By October 2026, Kenya's government had records of 354 citizens linked to the conflict, including 84 classified as killed or missing in action and five held as prisoners of war in Ukraine.

Investigations into the Kenyan cases revealed a consistent recruitment pattern: men were promised monthly salaries of up to KSh 350,000 (approximately $2,400), signing bonuses of up to $23,000, and even Russian citizenship.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen described how recruits were "taken through push-ups for two days or so, given a gun for the first time in their life, and then they are put on the front line."

Ukrainian intelligence estimates that over 1,700 people from 36 African countries have been recruited by Russia.

Source: TUKO.co.ke