Security officials at Entebbe International Airport have stopped nine Ugandan men from leaving the country over suspicions they were heading to join the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the conflict with Russia.
The men, all reported to have prior military backgrounds, were allegedly recruited under the guise of high-paying security guard jobs abroad. Police say the offer was a cover for mercenary enlistment and that no government agency had authorised their deployment.
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According to investigators, the group is believed to be part of a wider network involving more than 100 Ugandans approached by a company identified as MAGNIT. Police allege the firm specifically targeted ex-soldiers, including former UPDF personnel and those with experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, with promises of salaries reaching USD 6,250 a month.
A suspected Russian national believed to have coordinated the operation was arrested two days before the airport interception. Several Ugandan associates are also under investigation. Authorities claim the recruiters forged travel documents, including Interpol clearance certificates, yellow fever cards, CVs, and even obtained medical records from a Kampala health facility without consent.
“This is labour exploitation and human trafficking, sending people into one of the most dangerous conflicts in the world,” a senior police officer said. “It is not legitimate security work.”
Police have warned that Ugandans caught fighting in foreign wars could face both life-threatening risks on the battlefield and legal action at home.
The Russia–Ukraine conflict, now in its fourth year since Moscow’s invasion in February 2022, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of military and civilian casualties, with heavy losses reported on both sides.
The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority has yet to comment on the matter.
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