Philip Obaji Jr.

Russia-backed hackers breach Signal, WhatsApp accounts of officials, journalists, Netherlands warns Russian-backed hackers have launched a global ​cyber campaign to gain access to Signal and WhatsApp accounts used ‌by officials, military personnel and journalists, two intelligence agencies in the Ne...

Russian-backed hackers have launched a global cyber campaign to gain access to Signal and WhatsApp accounts used ‌by officials, military personnel and journalists.
www.reuters.com/world/europe...

In Kenya, families protested in Nairobi demanding the government bring home their sons duped into joining Russia's army for the Ukraine war. Many were lured with promises of decent jobs as drivers or guards, but ended up on the front lines. Over 1,000 Kenyans have been recruited

Thousands of Africans are fighting for Russia in Ukraine Russia recruits thousands of African fighters for its war in Ukraine, often through deceptive agencies promising civilian jobs but forcing military contracts instead.

Thousands of Africans are fighting for Russia in Ukraine. African governments are belatedly trying to stop them

www.economist.com/middle-east-...

‘Our children were sold off’: The South Africans sent to fight Russia’s war Men 'lured' into fighting in the Ukraine war say Africans were subjected to worse treatment on the front lines.

‘Our children were sold off’: The South Africans sent to fight Russia’s war

www.aljazeera.com/amp/features...

Russian Universities Recruiting Students for Kremlin’s Drone Forces, Investigation Finds Report: 91 universities and 112 colleges in russia recruit students for the drone forces, using campus meetings, pressure, and promises.

Russian schools are recruiting students for drone operations.

At least 91 universities and 112 vocational schools are actively enlisting students for Russia’s newly established Unmanned Systems Forces, according to an investigation by Verstka 

united24media.com/latest-news/...

A drone factory in Russia is running ads featuring teens who say they earn thousands assembling Shahed drones — Meduza In Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan, the Alabuga Special Economic Zone and its Alabuga Polytechnic vocational school have launched an ad campaign featuring teenagers who describe how they earn money ass...

A drone factory in Russia is running ads featuring teens who say they earn thousands assembling Shahed drones

meduza.io/en/feature/2...

Cameroun : enquête sur les réseaux russes dans les médias panafricanistes Plusieurs médias privés camerounais entretiennent des relations avec des entités liées à la Russie et au SVR, le service des renseignements extérieurs de Moscou. Jeune Afrique a passé au crible ces ve...

In Cameroon, pan-Africanist media outlets are on Russian life support. Several Cameroonian private media outlets maintain relationships with entities linked to Russia and the SVR, Moscow's foreign intelligence service.

www.jeuneafrique.com/1768423/poli...

Inside Russia’s Influence Efforts in Bolivia Under the authority of Russia’s foreign intelligence service, the SVR, the “Company” quietly expanded into Latin America. In Bolivia, the network behind Russia’s global propaganda operations, known as...

Inside the Propaganda Unit Sent by Russia to Help the Bolivian President.

In Bolivia, the network behind Russia’s global propaganda operations, known as the “Company,” tried to influence election outcomes and strain ties with the West.

forbiddenstories.org/inside-russi...

Tricked and traumatised, recruits say they were ‘cannon fodder’ for racist Russians In July last year, South African men from Nkandla were recruited under false promises of becoming VIP bodyguards but instead were sent to fight in the Ukraine war, facing racial abuse and exploitation...

South Africans recruited by Russian for its war in Ukraine say they “were racially abused, denied proper equipment and sent to the most dangerous areas.” They described themselves as "cannon fodder", assigned to the most dangerous tasks in the military
www.sundaytimes.timeslive.co.za/news/2026-02...

The Russian Orthodox Church is helping lure Kenyans into the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine — Meduza The Russian Orthodox Church’s exarchate in Africa is involved in a scheme recruiting Kenyan citizens to fight in Ukraine, according to journalist Ksenia Luchenko, who covers the Russian Orthodox Churc...

The Russian Orthodox Church is helping lure Kenyans into the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine. Once in Russia, their documents are confiscated. Bank accounts are opened in their names but controlled by commanders, after which they are sent to the front.

meduza.io/en/feature/2...

Donate to Help Philip Obaji uncover Russian atrocities across Africa, organized by Yarno Ritzen A brave journalist and an unparalleled champion of the protect… Yarno Ritzen needs your support for Help Philip Obaji uncover Russian atrocities across Africa

Please support us. We are giving everything to expose crimes committed by Russian mercenaries in Africa & uncovering how Russia is creating a migration crisis for Europe by spreading disinfo across West Africa to push desperate people toward deadly routes
www.gofundme.com/f/philip-oba...

At least 55 Ghanaians killed in Russia-Ukraine war, Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says This is the highest number of confirmed casualties from a single African country in the Ukraine-Russia war.

At least 55 Ghanaians killed in Russia-Ukraine war. Hundreds of Africans recruited by Russia to fight in Ukraine have now died in the battlefield
www.bbc.com/news/article...

This Kenyan man thought he was traveling to Russia to join a basketball team. Instead, he was forced to join the Russian military and fight Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Kenyan charged with luring young men to fight for Russia in Ukraine A total of 1,000 Kenyans have reportedly been recruited to fight for Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Police in Kenya have arrested Festus Omwamba, head of recruitment agency, Global Faces Human Resources, for allegedly luring young men to Russia with job opportunities, only for them to end up fighting in Ukraine. He recruited 22 Kenyans for “exploitation"
www.bbc.com/news/article...

More than 1,700 Africans fighting for Russia, Ukraine says More than 1,700 Africans are fighting for Russia in its war in Ukraine, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Wednesday, adding that Moscow was using deception to trick them into fighting.

There are currently over 1,780 citizens from the African continent fighting in the Russian army. The African fighters are from 36 different countries spread across the continent, according to the Ukrainian government.

www.reuters.com/world/europe...

My colleagues and I uncovered how Russia pays media outlets in West Africa as low $80 to publish disinformation that is weakening European security and undermining democracy in Africa. Soon, Europe could face a migrant crisis & Africa could be dealing with military dictatorships.

“I Was Lucky to Be Captured”: Nigerian Man Tricked Into Russia’s War Appeals to His President A Nigerian man says he was deceived into joining Russia’s army and sent to Ukraine. Captured by Ukrainian forces, he now calls it his “luck.”

First, Russia promised Balogun employment. Like many other foreigners, he found himself at a military base, where, without understanding the language or access to a translator, he signed a contract with the Russian army.

united24media.com/war-in-ukrai...

Interview with Award-Winning International Journalist Philip Obaji Jr. – INVED Philip Obaji Jr., independent journalist, is one of the leading experts on Russian influence in Africa. INVED Head Editor Dietmar Pichler met him twice and asked him about his insights, experiences, a...

Russian paramilitaries ordered my arrest and torture in the Central African Republic. Russian trolls have targeted me with massive disinformation. Here’s how difficult and dangerous it is to investigate Russian clandestine operations in Africa:

inved.eu/insight/inte...

Sixty Russian agents identified: Prigozhin’s influence network taken over by the foreign intelligence service - Forbidden Stories A data leak has allowed Forbidden Stories to identify more than 60 of its agents tasked with expanding Moscow’s disinformation efforts across three continents.

Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service controls a sprawling network of propaganda agents. A data leak has allowed Forbidden Stories to identify more than 60 of its agents tasked with expanding Moscow’s disinfo efforts across three continents. Here they are:

forbiddenstories.org/russian-agen...

Over 1,000 Kenyans enlisted to fight in Russia-Ukraine war, intelligence report says Investigators call the recruitment a well-organised trafficking ring involving immigration staff and security agencies.

A total of 1,000 Kenyans have been recruited to fight for Russia, according to a Kenyan intelligence report that details a network of rogue officials allegedly colluding with human trafficking syndicates.
www.bbc.com/news/article...

Across Africa, Russia Seeks to Expand Influence Through Orthodox Church What may be the most significant expansion in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church is serving as a powerful new tool for the Kremlin.

Lacking Money, Russia Turns to God in Push for African Influence
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...

Leaked Documents Reveal Russia’s Plot to Stage Coup in Senegal Russian intelligence drafted coup scenarios in Senegal and expanded covert influence tools across Africa after Wagner’s takeover.

Russia’s foreign intelligence service prepared plans for a military coup in Senegal, seeking to exploit unrest in the country by recruiting local soldiers to take power. I had warned about Russia’s plan to target democracies in Africa. Europe could be next
united24media.com/latest-news/...

Russia’s Wagner Group pivots to European sabotage, say western officials Recruiters involved with fighter group are said to be targeting agents for operations on Nato soil

Russia’s Wagner Group recruiters are said to be targeting agents for operations on NATO soil, as it pivots to European sabotage. Individuals linked to the Wagner Group were found guilty last year of carrying out an arson attack on a warehouse in London

www.ft.com/content/dbd1...

Russian intelligence is now supervising Russia’s influence operations in Africa and Latin America, according to a new investigation which exposed a vast network of lobbying, disinformation, but also destabilization plans, serving the interests of the Kremlin.

Europe can't afford to wait. Russian disinfo in Africa directly threatens Europe. Kremlin networks flood platforms with fake successes of juntas & stories painting Europe as the enemy. These campaigns open doors for Moscow's resource grabs & migration leverage against Europe

Russia’s operations in Africa, which includes arms deals & resource grabs, are hitting Europe hard. They fuel instability in the Sahel & Libya, and are putting more migration pressure on EU borders. They secure gold to fund Ukraine war and evade sanctions. The EU must act quickly

Russia is engineering a migration bomb for Europe. Disinformation on local airwaves in Mali and Niger pushes desperate youth toward deadly routes; Russian paramilitaries guard traffickers in Libya. Endgame? Chaos at EU gates, fractured politics. Europe ignores this at its peril.

The Business of Despair Singular Stories Their names are Serge, Nabil, Samuel, and Eric, and they come from different countries on the African continent. What they have in common is they fight as foreign soldiers in the R…

A Russian FSB-led front is involved in recruiting Africans to fight in Ukraine. All Eyes on Wagner obtained a list of 1417 Africans enrolled as fighters and 316 killed in action. Their average life expectancy is 6 months. For some it's as little as 1 month
alleyesonwagner.org/2026/02/11/t...

Russia is sending intelligence officers and diplomats banned from Europe to Africa, according to findings by Estonian intelligence 
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Russia’s main aim is to damage Europe, not Africa. It is only using Africa — its resources and manpower — as a means to get to Europe. If Africa is damaged along the way, it doesn’t matter to Russia. Europe must make up. Disinformation and migration are Russia’s biggest tools.