Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence reported the death of another Nigerian citizen who fought for Russian forces. Officials identified the man as Ayebusiwa Olabode Victor. He died during combat operations in the Kharkiv region.
Ayebusiwa Olabode Victor, born on April 28, 1992, came from Ilutitun in Ondo State. He signed a contract with the Russian army and deployed to the front lines. Ukrainian intelligence stated that he participated in battles near the settlement of Hrafske.
Ukrainian forces eliminated Ayebusiwa Olabode Victor in combat. The incident happened in the Kharkiv region. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate released details of his death on May 28, 2026. Officials described his case as typical of recruited foreigners who received minimal training before deployment.
This incident marked the latest in a series of reported deaths. Earlier in February 2026, Ukraine identified two other Nigerians, Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole and Mbah Stephen Udoka, who died in Luhansk. Ayebusiwa Olabode Victor followed the same path after he joined Russian units.
Ukrainian officials noted that Russia continued to recruit from African countries despite warnings from the Nigerian government. Many recruits received false promises of jobs and faced quick deployment with little preparation. Nigeria issued alerts to its citizens against enlisting in foreign conflicts.
The development added to ongoing concerns about foreign fighters in the Russia-Ukraine war. Ukrainian intelligence continued to document such cases as battles persisted in eastern regions.
