Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has disclosed that 62 Ghanaians have been killed while 15 others remain missing in connection with the Russia-Ukraine war.
According to the Minister, the government is stepping up diplomatic engagements with Russian authorities to halt the illegal recruitment of Ghanaian nationals into the conflict.
Mr Ablakwa made the disclosure in Moscow during his ongoing official visit to Russia, where he held bilateral discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Addressing a press conference after his engagements with the Russian authorities, the Minister said Ghana was particularly concerned about the recruitment of young Ghanaians who are allegedly lured to Russia under various circumstances before being enlisted to fight in the war.
He said the issue was a key part of his discussions with the Russian government, which had expressed its commitment to working with Ghana to prevent the illegal enlistment of Ghanaian nationals into the conflict.
Mr Ablakwa explained that Ghana would intensify diplomatic and advocacy measures aimed at dismantling recruitment networks and preventing young Ghanaians from being drawn into the war.
“This is not our war, and it should not be claiming Ghanaian lives,” he said.
The Minister stressed that the government remains determined to safeguard Ghanaian nationals from recruitment schemes that could expose them to the dangers of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
He added that Ghana would continue engaging the relevant Russian authorities to address the recruitment of its citizens and protect young people from networks facilitating their involvement in the war.
