Over the past few months, social media has been awash with numerous advertisements for recruits into the Russian army with alleged generous benefits. 

According to the adverts, potential recruits – both males and females – should be between 17 and 35 years old and possess a scanned copy of a passport, a picture and police report. 

The generous benefits include a hefty salary of GHS28,000, split in the middle and paid fortnightly (GHS14,000) to the foreign recruits with a monthly package of $300 per child for the children of the potential recruits. 

It also includes Russian citizenship.

The recruits are signed on and can voluntarily leave after a year’s service.  

Information gathered from sources familiar with the recruitment indicates that an unspecified number of Ghanaians have responded to the adverts and have been recruited by the Russian army to fight in the war with Ukraine. 

Currently, some of them are reportedly dead, while others are still in the war zone. 

Others have also deserted and are seeking refuge withGhana’s mission in Moscow while others are hiding with friends, relatives and other Russians in Moscow and other cities in Russia.

The advert appears crafted to lure people in poor countries to go to Russia and get trapped in the war zone.