Newsbreak: Yoruba soldier die fighting for Russia

By Femi Oguntibeju

A Yoruba soldier has been killed while defending Russia against Ukrainian attacks

Irohinoodua was informed that some Yoruba are currently in Russia fighting to defend the Russian Federation. Conservative estimates put the figure at almost 300 most of who are young Yoruba boys.

The soldier, Ayebusiwa Olabode Victor, was said to have been killed on the battle front in the Kharkiv region.

He was said to have undergone extensive training before he was deployed to the battle field in Ukraine.

A family member in Nigeria who does not wish to be named said Olabode was a very courageous, bold and elegant soldier saying he died defending his beliefs.

“By supporting Russia be believed he was fighting a right cause. He has always been anti-West. He believes in Yoruba Nation and that the creation of Nigeria by the British was largely responsible for the current affliction of his people. By supporting Russia, he saw it as a revolutionary duty,” the family member said adding that the family would be glad to receive his body for proper burial.

According to sources, Victor enlisted in late February 2026, roughly seven days after Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an advisory against illegal recruitment into overseas armed conflicts.

Ukraine on the other hand said foreign volunteers were “trapped by deceptive offers of lucrative employment and fast money, only to be forced into combat zones shortly after arriving in Russia.
Their tragedy follows a familiar script: deception, promises of easy wealth, a brief week of preparation, and immediate transfer to the combat lines resulting in a swift death.”

But the family member said he rather took a volunatary decision to defend Russia given the role the later played in the series of liberation struggles across Africa.

According to Ukraine official data, at least 215 Nigerians are currently fighting on the side of Russia.

Many of them are said to be Yoruba.