Shocking moment Russian mercenary holds up sign pleading for help as Ukrainian drone closes in on him

Drone footage shared by a Ukrainian military account appears to show an unclad man kneeling in a field and holding a handwritten sign reading “PLEASE HELP ME”. The video shows the drone moving closer to the man, who appears to smile and signal surrender, before moving away without attacking.

Ukrainian outlet Censor described him as a suspected African recruit fighting for Russia. However, his identity, nationality and military affiliation have not been confirmed. The footage was posted on Telegram on Thursday, October 30. It is unclear when or where it was recorded, why the man was unclad or what happened to him afterwards.

The video comes amid reports that foreign nationals have been recruited into Russia’s armed forces, with some alleging that they were deceived about the work they would undertake. The report cited an estimate that around 50,000 foreign fighters from more than 150 countries and territories have joined Russian forces since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. It did not identify the source of that estimate.

Some recruits and their families say employment offers brought them to Russia before they were sent to the front line. Ukrainian intelligence said on Monday, October 26, that it had identified a Botswanan national who had lost his life while fighting for Russia in the Luhansk region.

In July, Ukrainian intelligence also reported that two Cameroonian nationals had lost their lives shortly after signing military contracts. They were identified as Ngulure Ibrahim Nkite, 23, who reportedly lost his life in occupied Donetsk in May, and Tapingjeu Namekong Loik, 25, who reportedly lost his life in Zaporizhzhia in April.

Separate allegations have emerged concerning recruits from Latin America. Marcelo Tataje, a lawyer representing Peruvian families, told The Sun that some of their relatives travelled to Russia after responding to advertisements for jobs such as taxi driving and cooking.

He alleged that some were subsequently threatened and forced to sign military contracts. Describing the account of one client, Tataje said Russian military personnel pointed a gun at the man’s head and threatened him if he refused to sign. “That’s what most of the victims say,” the lawyer added.

Tataje said more than 80 per cent of the families he represented had reported that their relatives were assaulted, forced to sign at gunpoint or threatened with prison terms of up to 15 years. He also alleged that accounts controlled by the Kremlin contacted some prospective recruits directly through social media.

According to Tataje, 18 Peruvians had managed to escape Russia and return home. He described accounts of men leaving their accommodation through windows at night before seeking assistance at the Peruvian embassy. Those allegations concern separate recruitment cases. The report did not establish how the man shown in the drone footage came to be in the field or whether he had experienced similar treatment.