Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate has confirmed that two Nigerian citizens, Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole and Mbah Stephen Udoka, were killed during a drone strike while serving in the Russian military in the Luhansk region. The deaths occurred in late November 2025 as the men attempted to storm Ukrainian positions.

Both Kolawole and Udoka had signed contracts with the Russian army in the second half of 2025, with Udoka deployed to Ukrainian territory only five days after signing. Kolawole’s training records are unclear, and it is believed he received no formal military training. Kolawole leaves behind a wife and three children in Nigeria.

The drone strike reportedly prevented the men from engaging in combat, and Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence warned foreign citizens against traveling to Russia or joining its military. Officials described the situation as extremely risky, with mercenaries being sent into high-risk operations with little to no preparation.

Russia has denied any official recruitment of Nigerians for the war. The Ukrainian warning underscores the dangers faced by foreign nationals in conflict zones and highlights the broader international concern about mercenaries being drawn into the Russia-Ukraine war.