- Volunteers demanded proof of military service
- Russia denies recruiting fighters for Ukraine
- Russia has close historical ties with Ethiopia
ADDIS ABABA, April 21 – Lines formed early each morning outside the Russian embassy in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa. Attracted by rumors on social media, men young and old, many with their military records in hand, came hoping to fight for Russia in Ukraine.
What started as a trickle of volunteers swelled into dozens over two weeks, two local residents told Reuters.
On Tuesday, Reuters reporters saw several hundred men checking in with Ethiopian security forces outside the embassy. The guards wrote down their names and asked for proof of military service.
There is no evidence that Ethiopians were sent to Ukraine, nor is it clear if this ever will be the case.
A man coming out of the embassy and addressing the volunteers in Russian through an interpreter said Russia had enough forces for now but they would be contacted if needed.
The Russian embassy did not respond to Reuters questions about the man’s identity or whether Russia is sending Ethiopian volunteers to Ukraine. Later Tuesday, she issued a statement saying she was not recruiting fighters and that the Ethiopians who showed up outside were well-wishers expressing “solidarity and support for the Russian Federation.”
The Ethiopian foreign ministry welcomed the Russian statement, which it described as “refuting the unsubstantiated recruitment reports for the Russian armed forces,” but did not respond to Reuters questions. Neither does the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Addis Ababa forwarded questions to the Ethiopian authorities.
Ethiopia has called on all warring factions to exercise restraint and failed to vote on a UN General Assembly resolution condemning the February 24 invasion of Ukraine, which Russia has described as a “special military operation” to demilitarize the country.
Ethiopian men, attracted by rumors on social media, queue to join Russian forces fighting in Ukraine in front of the Russian embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia April 19, 2022. Picture taken April 19 April 2022. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri
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But many in Ethiopia have expressed solidarity with Russia, which has had close ties with the Horn of Africa nation since Soviet times.
Rumors on social media of paying $2,000 to join and an opportunity to work in Russia after the war irritated some of the men in the queue. Many parts of Ethiopia are torn by conflict and annual inflation is around 30%.
“I’m willing to support the Russian government and in return I’ll get benefits as soon as I get out,” Leta Kibru told Reuters outside the embassy, where he returned on Tuesday to review what he described as his application.
“Life in Ethiopia is becoming increasingly difficult,” says the 30-year-old street vendor, who claims to have left the Ethiopian army in 2018 and now sells clothes and mobile phones. “What I need is to live in Europe.”
Leta said he heard about a $2,000 payout from friends who signed up before him. Two others in line this week said they saw posts on Facebook saying the embassy was recruiting.
Reuters could not find any posts on this topic from official sources or confirm such an offer.
The rumors followed news in March that Russian President Vladimir Putin had given the green light for up to 16,000 Middle Eastern volunteers to be deployed alongside Russian-backed rebels in Ukraine, although Reuters was unable to confirm the sent there been. Continue reading
“The reason I want to go to Russia is not to fight Ukraine, it’s because I don’t benefit from my country,” said Binyam Woldetsadik, a 40-year-old security official who said he served in the border war between 1998 and 1998 Served in Ethiopia in 2000 with Eritrea.
“I’d rather be a national of another country.”
When Binyam showed up late Wednesday morning, the number of volunteers in front of the Russian embassy had dwindled to about 20. A guard told him the embassy was no longer accepting applications, he said.
writing by Aaron Ross; additional reporting by Alessandra Prentice in Kyiv; Edited by Katharine Houreld, Alexandra Zavis and Nick Macfie