Focus on Africa - African prisoners of war in Ukraine
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Over 3,000 African fighters are involved with the Russian army as claimed by Ukrainian authorities. Many of them say they have been misled or coerced into fighting by illegal recruitment agencies promising a good job and salary in Russia.
We speak to the BBC's Sammy Awami who gained access to a prisoner of war facility in western Ukraine, and spoke to some of the young men trapped there.
And we hear about the frustrations of African fans hoping to travel to the US for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Godwin Asediba, Ayuba Iliya and Blessing Aderogba
Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango
Senior Producer: Keikantse Shumba
Editors: Charles Gitonga and Maryam Abdalla
Published on Monday, 8th June 2026.
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