Nigerian Youths Risk Everything to Escape Russian Military Service
Two Nigerian teenagers have revealed their terrifying ordeal fleeing forced military conscription by Russian authorities in occupied Mariupol, Ukraine. David and Nikolai, both 19 years old, shared their dramatic escape story exclusively with AFP after reaching safety in Kyiv.
The young men faced hours of interrogation by Russian security agents who threatened to plant drugs on them and send them back to join Russia's army. David described sitting through the questioning thinking "this is the end" as agents smirked and applied psychological pressure.
Life Under Russian Occupation
Having lived through three years of Russian rule in the strategic southern port city, the teenagers witnessed firsthand Moscow's systematic campaign to recruit Ukrainians to fight against their own country. Mariupol fell to Russian troops in May 2022 after a brutal weeks-long siege that killed at least 22,000 people according to exiled Ukrainian city officials.
The teenagers described how their school became a recruitment center under the new occupation authorities. Their school director greeted them beneath a portrait of Vladimir Putin as "future defenders" of Russia - a moment David recalled with disbelief: "I was just like, 'What the hell? Defenders of what?'"
Secret Resistance and Education
Despite the risks, both young men maintained their Ukrainian identity and resistance spirit. Nikolai, who was an adolescent when Russia captured the city, remained steadfast in his beliefs. "I knew that on February 24, they came into my country, no one can convince me otherwise. I heard the explosions," he stated, referring to the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.
They secretly studied the Ukrainian curriculum online while navigating the dangers of occupied life. Nikolai also witnessed the aftermath of the March 2022 bombing of a theater being used as a shelter, describing the haunting scene: "Mattresses. Corpses. The smell of death - and flies."
The Escape Decision
When military summonses arrived at their homes, the childhood friends knew they had to escape. "You won't make me fight against the Ukrainian army - it's my own," Nikolai declared defiantly.
They pooled their savings, packed their belongings, and arranged transportation out of the city. David admitted crying as he left his hometown, but recognized he had no other choice given the alternative of forced conscription.
Checkpoint Ordeal
Their escape nearly ended at a Russian checkpoint where security agents separated and interrogated them for approximately five hours. The agents took fingerprints, questioned why photos had been deleted from their phones, and threatened to plant drugs as evidence.
"They began smiling, putting pressure on me, trying to make me slip up," David recounted. The psychological torture left both teenagers terrified, with David noting "Anyone would feel scared in such a situation, especially considering how old they were, how old we were."
Broader Conscription Campaign
Kyiv authorities report that the Russian army has drafted more than 46,000 Ukrainians from occupied territories, including over 35,000 from Crimea which Russia seized in 2014. While conscripts technically shouldn't be deployed to combat zones, Moscow has admitted some have been sent to fight by accident.
Rights groups confirm that those who evade the draft face up to two years imprisonment, and conscripts face intense pressure to sign full military contracts. Ukraine's human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets told AFP that occupied schools systematically help military authorities compile student registers to facilitate call-ups.
Concerns for Those Left Behind
Despite their successful escape, David and Nikolai worry about friends still in Mariupol. Russia continues expanding its draft system and tightening registration procedures for Ukrainians in occupied territory.
One classmate wanted to join their escape but couldn't obtain a passport without visiting the military enlistment office - where he feared immediate conscription. David expressed frustration about his friend's predicament: "He just can't run away."
The teenagers' story highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis facing young people in conflict zones and the difficult choices they must make to preserve their freedom and principles.
