Authorities at Entebbe International Airport have intercepted nine Ugandan men allegedly en route to join the ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict as mercenaries. The individuals, all former soldiers—including veterans of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and ex-military contractors who previously served in Iraq and Afghanistan—were reportedly lured by promises of lucrative pay.
According to investigators, the recruits had been offered monthly salaries of up to USD 6,250, a figure that far exceeds average earnings for military personnel in Uganda. The men are believed to be part of a wider network involving over 100 Ugandans who have been targeted for recruitment by a shadowy organisation known as MAGNIT.
Little is known publicly about MAGNIT, but security officials suspect it operates under the guise of a private military contractor, recruiting vulnerable ex-servicemen with promises of high pay and vague missions in Eastern Europe. The network’s true affiliations remain unclear, raising concerns about illegal mercenary activity and Uganda’s neutrality in the Russia–Ukraine war.
The arrest of the nine suspects has drawn attention at the highest levels of the Ugandan government. General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Chief of Defence Forces and son of President Yoweri Museveni, issued a stern warning to Ugandans, urging them not to involve themselves in foreign wars, particularly the Russia–Ukraine conflict.
“No Ugandan has any business fighting in a war that is not ours,” Gen. Muhoozi said in a statement. “Any attempts to join foreign militaries or mercenary groups without government clearance will be met with severe consequences.”
He emphasized that Uganda remains neutral in the conflict and warned that engaging in such activities could compromise national security and diplomatic relations.
Investigations are ongoing, with authorities working to dismantle the recruitment network and identify its local coordinators. Officials have also called on families to report any suspicious offers or disappearances of former soldiers, fearing that more may have already left the country undetected.
As the Russia–Ukraine war continues to attract foreign fighters from around the globe, Uganda joins a growing list of nations grappling with the implications of their citizens being drawn into the high-stakes conflict—often under false pretenses and with little regard for the legal and political consequences.
