In a statement released on Thursday, the agency identified the deceased as Ayebusiwa Olabode Victor, born 28 April 1992, originally from Ilutitun in Ondo State, Nigeria.
He was reportedly killed in the Kharkiv region near Hrafske during combat operations. Ukrainian authorities say he had been acting as a foreign fighter on behalf of Russia.
The intelligence agency also published what it described as the first page of his Nigerian passport as part of its disclosure.
According to the statement, Victor signed a contract with Russian military structures in late February 2026, shortly after Nigeria’s foreign ministry issued warnings against citizens joining foreign conflicts through unofficial recruitment channels.
Ukraine further alleged that two other Nigerian nationals previously fighting on the Russian side had been found dead in the Luhansk region.
Moscow has repeatedly rejected claims that it recruits Nigerians or other African nationals for the war, describing such reports as inaccurate.
However, Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence maintained that recruitment efforts target foreign nationals through online job offers. It alleged that intermediaries use social media platforms to attract applicants with promises of employment, issue travel documents, and then redirect recruits after arrival in Russia.
The agency claims that passports are often withheld, and individuals are left with limited options, including deportation under financial penalties, detention, or signing military contracts they may not fully understand due to language barriers.
Ukrainian authorities also stated that at least 215 Nigerians have signed contracts with Russia’s Ministry of Defence, with 25 confirmed killed or missing in action.
