Uganda Confirms 11 Nationals Killed in Russia's Army, 16 More Missing and Presumed Dead

Uganda's embassy in Moscow has confirmed that 11 Ugandans who enlisted in the Russian army have died and 16 others are missing and presumed dead, Plus News Uganda reported on October 27, 2026. The figures come from an October 17 letter by Ambassador Moses K. Kizige, Uganda's Head of Mission in Moscow, to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Kizige wrote that the Russian government had provided information on Ugandans believed to be serving in the war zone.

What Russia Told the Embassy

According to Plus News Uganda, the information was given in a response from the Russian government dated October 8, 2026, following a request from the Ugandan embassy on August 19. Russian authorities confirmed that 11 Ugandans had died and that another 16 were missing, with their whereabouts unknown. The missing were reportedly considered dead, although their bodies had not been found. "They are also not known to be prisoners of war," Kizige wrote.

The letter did not specify when the 11 deaths and 16 disappearances occurred, or the circumstances in which the Ugandans were killed or went missing, Plus News Uganda said.

A Request That Began With a Petitioner

Kizige said the embassy started the inquiry after several telephone conversations with Innocent Kato, whom he described as the principal petitioner representing families of Ugandans believed to be serving in the Russian military. Kato supplied passport details for some of the individuals, which the embassy verified with Uganda's Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration before submitting the request to the Russian authorities.

Five Still Serving, One Dismissed

The embassy also reported that five Ugandans were still serving in the Russian army and would be discharged when their contracts expire: Rogers Mwebaze, Evarist Barigye, Honest Mugabi, Eric Kisakye and Ronald Samula Tenywa. Another Ugandan, Robert Tumwebaze, was reportedly dismissed from the Russian armed forces. According to Kizige, embassy staff took Tumwebaze to the embassy after he was discharged from a military hospital in Nizhny Novgorod, but he reportedly ran away from the staff at a railway station.

Families Still Waiting to Claim Benefits

Kizige urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to urgently notify the families of the deceased so they can begin claiming the benefits due to them. He also raised concern that the families of three other Ugandans, Baker Mwesigye, Alex Mutesigensi and Edson Kamwesigye, whose deaths Russia had previously confirmed, had not contacted the embassy. He said the Russian Ministry of Defence had confirmed their deaths and that the information had already been forwarded to Uganda's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The embassy further urged families seeking information about relatives believed to be in the Russian military to submit their passport details so that the embassy can trace and verify them. Plus News Uganda notes that the letter highlights the difficulties families face in establishing the fate of those missing in the conflict zone and in accessing benefits for deceased relatives.

A Safe Way Out

Ugandans and other foreign nationals lured into Russia's armed forces have an option to safely escape the battlefield with Ukraine's "I Want to Live" project. See our FAQ for recommendations for victims of Russian military recruitment and their families.