Fake social media adverts used to trick Africans into fighting for Russia
By Karen Allen, Senior Researcher
As a powerful investigation by Code for Africa and partners offers detailed forensic evidence of how Western digital tools are being used to trick Africans into fighting for Russia, lawyers say they need more clarity on how they can chase after the criminals.
The investigators say digital platforms like Meta, Tik Tok and Google were used by criminal networks in Russia and Belarus and their shadowy franchise network, to place fake recruitment adverts online. They now want the platforms to not only shut them down – Meta has frozen many online accounts, but they’ve quickly re-surfaced using AI – but it also wants the platforms to open up their billing records which were used to purchase the fake ads online.
The research by iLAB, Code for Africa’s investigations team, found 289 websites, fake domains and social media profiles. They lured men from some of Africa’s poorest countries with false advertising, forged endorsements and promises of generous benefits. Researchers call it an “organised criminal enterprise”.
Media reports suggest over 3000 Africans have been recruited, and roughly one in five of those identified has been killed. Many responded to “ordinary” ads for construction work, visa assistance or film roles but in reality, many ended up on the front line in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Investigators traced up to 33 operations under four separate “brands”, using disposable sites in a “burn and replace” strategy.
“Our aim exposing the mechanics,” says Justin Arenstein, who leads Code for Africa, “is to force the technology companies to act and to trigger regulators to police these abuses more closely. These aren’t just things that ‘advanced’ nations can tackle. All countries have laws against fraud, human trafficking and organised crime or criminal conspiracy.”
But Tina Power of Power Law Africa, says holding platforms to account is “complicated by procedural questions of jurisdiction and enforcement”, but says these are “not insurmountable”. Domestic litigation, law reform and African Commission on Human and People’s Rights guidelines are beginning to build the tools needed but it takes time.
Kenya has had some success offline, charging the head of a rogue firm after 22 recruits were rescued near Nairobi. In South Africa a radio presenter is one of five accused of recruiting men illegally to fight for Russia in Ukraine.
In February the Department of International Relations and Cooperation began the process of repatriating the first of 17 South African nationals who’d been duped into joining the war.
