Russia has confirmed the deaths of 16 Cameroonians who were fighting in the Ukraine war, according to statements from Yaoundé

Cameroon has announced that Russian authorities have verified the deaths of 16 Cameroonians who were fighting in Ukraine, marking the first instance in which the Central African nation has addressed the participation of its citizens in the ongoing conflict.

On Monday evening, a statement aired on state media from the foreign ministry urged the families of the deceased to reach out to ministry officials in the capital city of Yaounde.

A diplomatic note from Cameroon, also dated Monday and reviewed by Reuters, identified the deceased as “military contractors of Cameroonian nationality” engaged in a special military operation zone, a phrase employed by Russia to characterize the conflict in Ukraine.

The statement and the diplomatic note did not clarify how the 16 men came to be fighting for Russia, nor did they offer specifics regarding the location, timing, and circumstances of their deaths.

The Russian embassy in Yaounde has yet to respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

In February, Ukraine reported that over 1,700 Africans were engaged in combat for Russia, although analysts suggest that the actual number is probably greater.

The Russian authorities have rejected allegations of unlawfully enlisting African citizens to participate in the conflict in Ukraine.

In a memo circulated internally in March 2025 and reviewed by Reuters, Cameroon’s defense minister voiced apprehension regarding soldiers departing the country to participate in the conflict in Ukraine and directed commanding officers to carefully oversee their units.

Cameroon has stated that it does not officially deploy troops abroad except under international or regional mandates and has cautioned citizens against engaging in foreign conflicts.