While Lavrov Visits Ethiopia, The Names of 34 Ethiopians Fighting in Russia's Army Published

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has arrived in Ethiopia as part of a tour of African countries - a visit taking place against a backdrop of growing resistance from African governments to Russia's recruitment of their citizens into the war in Ukraine.

Ukraine's I Want to Live project chose the moment deliberately.

As Lavrov landed in Addis Ababa, the project - which operates under Ukraine's Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War - published the names of 34 Ethiopian citizens who signed contracts with Russia's armed forces and participated in combat operations against Ukraine. At least three of them are confirmed killed.

See also: List of Africans who were killed in Russia's army

The list of the Ethiopian citizens recruited by Russia is below:

Note: The Names are transliterated from Russian records into English - minor spelling variations may apply.

What the Data Shows

The contracts cluster in clear batches - a signature of group recruitment operations rather than individual enlistment. Eight men signed on 24 December 2024. Ten signed on 1 September 2025. Nine signed on 30 October 2025. This is not people independently deciding to join Russia's army; it is coordinated trafficking moving groups of men through the same pipeline at the same time.

The earliest contract in the list belongs to Habtemariam Sintaye Tesfaye, born 1972, who signed in March 2023 - shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion began. The most recent is Yazi Getachew-Abitie, whose contract is dated December 2025. The recruitment has not stopped.

The youngest on the list are Adugna Eron-Bacha (born May 2002) and Zeleke Natnayel Abebe (born January 2002) - both in their early twenties when they signed. The oldest is Habtemariam Sintaye Tesfaye, who was 50.
I Want to Live stresses that these 34 are confirmed identifications, not a complete count. The actual number of Ethiopians recruited into Russia's armed forces is higher.

The Broader Picture

This list demonstrates a part of a bigger problem. According to the "I Want to Live", the project has confirmed personal data on 2,984 Africans from 40 countries who signed contracts with Russia's armed forces. Of those, nearly one in six is confirmed killed.

In African countries, relatives of the missing and the dead have been holding protests and demonstrations, demanding government action. According to I Want to Live, that pressure has produced results: Russia's Ministry of Defence has stopped or significantly reduced recruitment in 14 African countries due to sustained pressure from governments and civil society.

Lavrov's Africa tour is taking place as African governments increasingly push back against Russian recruitment. Kenya plans to ratify anti-mercenary treaties. Uganda directed its Moscow embassy to investigate and facilitate returns. Yemen launched a dedicated anti-trafficking unit. 

For Ethiopian Families

If your relative traveled to Russia for work and has not been in contact - their name may be on this list or might appear on the list of killed Africans. Do not wait and act now - Ukraine offers a safe way out for those who were tricked to join or volunteered to join Russia's army ranks. Read more here. 

Source: I Want to Live on Telegram