Two more Ugandans have been killed while fighting on the Russian side in Ukraine, a new report has revealed.
The report entitled ‘The Business of Despair’ said over the weekend that out of seven Ugandan nationals who were recruited to fight on the side of Russian forces in Ukraine, two more Ugandans were killed in the battle. Those killed, according to the report, are Michael Atuhaire, who was born on October 10, 1982 and Ashiraf Damulira, who was born on August 9, 1988.
This brings the total number of Ugandans who were killed in Ukraine to three including Edson Kamwesigye who was killed three weeks ago. Last month, the government of Uganda said it had no plans to facilitate the repatriation of the body of Kamwesigye who was killed on the frontline in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Okello Oryem, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs in charge of International Relations told local media that the ministry is not responsible. Kamwesigye’s family was seeking government support to help them repatriate the body. Kamwesiga reportedly died in Kupiansk, in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, an area that has seen intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces.
His death was confirmed through identification details and images circulating on social media. Identification details shared on social media indicate that he was from Kibombo Village, Nyakaina Parish, Buyanja Sub-county, Rukungiri District. He was born on June 19, 1980.
Although the actual number of Ugandans fighting on the Russian side in Ukraine is not known, videos of men singing Luganda and Swahili songs have emerged online.
At the height of the illegal recruitment across Africa in August 2025, Uganda’s security intercepted a group of Ugandans who were en route to the Ukraine war through Moscow.
MG/abj/APA