Segun Atanda/
Facts have emerged that Kehinde Oluwagbemileke, the Nigerian man reportedly captured by Ukrainian-aligned forces while fighting for Russia in the ongoing war in Ukraine, is a well-educated professional who graduated from the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in 2017.
He also once served with Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Details from his LinkedIn profile reveal that Kehinde studied at FUTA from 2013 to 2017, earning a Bachelor of Technology degree. He subsequently completed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) between July 2018 and June 2019, during which he worked in the NYSC graphic unit handling proofreading, copywriting, typesetting, and document layout.
His professional record includes a stint as a presiding officer with INEC during the 2019 general elections.
He also worked as an academic content developer, education consultant, and digital editor — roles that reflect a strong background in communication, research, and instructional support.
In addition to his Nigerian education, Kehinde later obtained further training abroad, earning a certificate in English for STEM from Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University in Russia in 2022. He also completed online coursework on scientific writing through Stanford University’s “Writing in the Sciences” programme on Coursera.
Despite this robust academic and professional background, Kehinde found himself entangled in one of the world’s most brutal wars.
He relocated to Russia around 2021, but his attempt at a better life took a devastating turn when he was arrested on drug-related charges in 2024.
Faced with a lengthy prison sentence, he agreed to fight for the Russian military in exchange for a reduced term — a controversial arrangement reportedly being offered to foreign inmates by Russian authorities.
He served for five months in Ukraine before being captured in the Zaporizhzhia region by fighters of the Freedom of Russia Legion, a Ukrainian-aligned group made up of Russian anti-Putin volunteers.
In a video that later emerged, Kehinde, visibly wounded, confirmed his identity and explained the circumstances that led him to the frontlines. He said he was issued a Russian passport after agreeing to fight and worked as a translator for other non-Russian-speaking recruits from Africa, South America, and China.
During the interrogation, Kehinde admitted he believed the military service would be a faster route to freedom, but expressed deep regret, saying, “Of course I regret it.”
His capture, which occurred weeks ago, forms part of a growing pattern in which African nationals and other foreign migrants in Russia are being drawn into the conflict through coercive or exploitative recruitment tactics.
Ukrainian authorities and international observers have warned that such foreign combatants are often given little training and used as expendable assets on the battlefield.
Kehinde’s case has stood out due to the striking contrast between his academic and professional accomplishments and his current circumstances as a captured foreign fighter in a war far from home.
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