Uganda has confirmed that 27 of its citizens who were enlisted to fight for Russia's army in Ukraine have been killed or are presumed dead, according to a letter from Uganda's embassy in Moscow to the country's foreign ministry.

The letter, seen by Reuters on Thursday, named 11 Ugandans confirmed dead and 16 others whose bodies could not be located anywhere, including among prisoners of war. Uganda's embassy said it had received the information from Russia's foreign ministry through a formal diplomatic note, known as a note verbale.

An official at Uganda's foreign ministry confirmed that the letter was genuine. Russia's embassy in Kampala did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A wider pattern across Africa

Reports of African men being drawn to Russia with promises of work, only to end up on Ukraine's front lines, have become increasingly frequent, triggering anger in countries including Kenya, Ghana and South Africa.

Ukraine said last year that more than 1,400 citizens from three dozen African countries were fighting alongside Russian forces on its territory, with some recruited through deception. Russian authorities have denied illegally recruiting African citizens.

The latest figures add to the pressure on African governments to warn their citizens about recruitment schemes and to press Moscow for information about those still unaccounted for.

What happens next for the families

For the families of the 16 Ugandans whose bodies have not been found, the letter offers little closure, and it remains unclear whether Kampala will seek the repatriation of survivors or the return of the confirmed dead. The case is likely to renew calls across the continent for stronger warnings against overseas recruitment offers that lead to the battlefield.

Sources: Reuters via Sowetan and Reuters via KRRO.