At least 16 Cameroonians serving as military mercenaries for Russia have been killed on the front lines in Ukraine.

Cameroon’s Foreign Affairs Minister, in a statement aired on national television on Monday, confirmed that 16 “military contractors of Cameroonian nationality” have been killed in Ukraine.

The statement also urged families of the slain 16 “military contractors” to contact the foreign ministry in Yaoundé for further details about their deceased relatives.

Neither the foreign ministry nor Russian authorities have clarified how the 16 military contractors of Cameroonian descent were recruited to fight for Russia since its invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.

However, citing an internal memo issued in March 2025, Reuters reported that “Cameroon’s defense minister expressed concern that soldiers were leaving the country to join the war in Ukraine and instructed commanding officers to closely monitor their units.”

Earlier in February, Ukrainian authorities said that more than 1,700 Africans were fighting for Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.

Previously, reports have emerged of soldiers recruited from Kenya and Nigeria to fight for Russia.