The Martin Luther King Movement in Togo (MMLK) has expressed deep sorrow over the imprisonment of a young Togolese student in Ukraine under tragic circumstances.
According to the organization’s official statement, the student had traveled to Russia to pursue his studies but was forcibly conscripted into the Russian armed forces. He was then sent to the front lines in Ukraine, where he suffered serious injuries, was captured by Ukrainian forces, and subsequently imprisoned.
The MMLK revealed that the student arrived in Russia on a student visa issued by the Russian embassy in Cotonou, having left Togo on August 21, 2024. His academic dreams took a dramatic turn when he found himself on the battlefield.
In response, the MMLK says it has urgently notified Togo’s Head of State and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, calling for immediate diplomatic intervention with Ukrainian authorities to secure the student’s release and safeguard his life.
This tragic case is not an isolated incident. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the conflict has had far-reaching consequences across the globe. Last year, several young Africans, including citizens of Ghana, Somalia, and other countries, appealed for help after being deceived with promises of employment in Russia, only to find themselves forced onto the front lines of the war in Ukraine.
A Togolese student jailed in Ukraine after being forced to fight for Russia, MMLK reports
