Daniel Angel Masie Nchama was drawn into a dangerous situation by a Cameroonian named 'Fabrice,' who promised him a future abroad with military training and bodyguard work. In December 2025, the 22-year-old IT student left Equatorial Guinea, hopeful for a better life, but never imagined he would face the horrors of war in Ukraine.
When Nchama and his fellow recruits arrived in Russia, they were pressured to sign documents in Russian — a language none of them could understand. After Nchama tried to use his phone for translation, a Russian soldier placed his weapon on the table, effectively silencing any objections. 'It was a threat. So we had to sign,' Nchama explained. Immediately after, his passport was taken and never given back, stripping him of any real choice.
The training Nchama received in Russia was far from what was promised. Instead of the eight months of basic military instruction he expected, he and the other recruits were given just two weeks of training before being sent to Ukraine. After 45 additional days of more intensive training, they were loaded into armoured vehicles and sent toward the front lines, where the true battle began.
Nchama was placed in a battalion of 424 soldiers in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine. Within two weeks, he claims all his fellow soldiers were killed, leaving him as the sole survivor. From there, he was assigned to lead a second battalion in Volnovakha, another part of Donetsk Oblast. During this mission, 566 recruits were sent to capture six villages, but only three made it through — including Nchama himself.
The conditions Nchama described were horrific. He spoke of freezing temperatures, constant hunger, and even a stretch of nine days with no food at all. He also described the relentless nature of Ukrainian drone attacks, which only stopped when snow began to fall unexpectedly. This 11-day stretch at the front pushed his endurance to its limits.
Escape and Return Home
After lying to his superiors, Nchama managed to escape his situation and make his way to the airport in Murmansk, in Russia's Arctic region. There, the Equatorial Guinean ambassador found him and brought him home. Nchama's family was overjoyed to have him back, but his father now warns young people not to chase false promises of opportunity abroad. 'These promises are death guaranteed,' he said, urging caution.
His story quickly spread across social media and gained attention in Equatorial Guinea, prompting the government to declare it would take 'diplomatic steps' to ensure Nchama's release. As more details emerged, it became clear that this was a dangerous recruitment trap involving not only Nchama but also other Africans, including Cameroonians, Nigerians, and Libyans, among others.
Ukraine has estimated that nearly 1,800 Africans have been enlisted into Russian forces under similar conditions. Nchama's case has highlighted the risks and deceptions faced by those lured in by false opportunities, with many of them ending up in deadly situations with no return path.