Russia-Ukraine War: 62 Ghanaians killed, 15 missing in illegal enlistment— Ablakwa confirms

Ghana's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, confirmed that 62 Ghanaians have died and 15 are missing in the Russia-Ukraine conflict after illegally enlisting in the military. This grim tally emerged during a press conference in Moscow, following discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Minister Ablakwa emphasized that curbing the fraudulent recruitment of young Ghanaians into the war was a key point of contention in the diplomatic talks. "Beyond security concerns, the bilateral talks yielded critical agreements in education, nuclear energy, and global governance," he stated in a press release.

The Russian government pledged to collaborate with Ghanaian authorities to dismantle human trafficking networks and halt the recruitment of African youth for the war. In return, Ghana's government pledged to advocate for the protection of its youth. The bilateral talks also resulted in significant agreements in education, nuclear energy, and global governance.

As part of the educational accord, the Russian government agreed to double the number of full scholarships for Ghanaian students, increasing the annual quota from 120 to 240. These scholarships will focus on critical STEM disciplines such as artificial intelligence, engineering, petroleum sciences, and pharmaceuticals.

Additionally, both nations committed to expanding collaboration on peaceful nuclear energy development, with the aim of diversifying Ghana's national grid by incorporating 700 MW of nuclear power. The countries also agreed to joint efforts addressing broader international issues, including counterterrorism, climate change, and United Nations reforms.