Zimbabwean Family Asked for DNA Fears Relative Is Dead in Russia, Cannot Afford to Bring Home His Body

Al Jazeera English reported that Dennis Garandi told his family in Zimbabwe he was going to fight for Russia against Ukraine, and that they have not heard from him in months. Zimbabwe's government has now asked the family to submit DNA samples, which the family says they were told will be sent to Russia for identification. The report is available on Youtube: 

His uncle, Learnmore Sirikwindi, told Al Jazeera that a DNA test usually means a relative has died, and that the family is now worried about getting his body back. If it is in Russia, he said, they cannot afford to fetch it, because the cost is very high and Russia is too far away. We previously reported that Zimbabwe has begun collecting DNA from families of men missing or killed in Russia's war, drawing on reporting by CITE.

According to Al Jazeera's many families in Zimbabwe are struggling - street vending is how many of them earn a living therefore promise of higher pay and possibly foreign citizenship can be enticing for those who are knowingly sign contracts with Russia's army. It adds that Zimbabwe recently arrested people suspected of recruiting for the Russian military on social media, that several other African governments are warning citizens against lucrative-sounding jobs in Russia, and that Moscow has never publicly admitted using foreigners to fight in Ukraine.

A Safe Way Out

Zimbabweans 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.