FREETOWN, 2nd November 2026 – A young Sierra Leonean man identified as Sorie, reportedly from Calaba Town in the east end of Freetown, has reportedly lost his life while serving in the Russian military on the frontlines of the war in Ukraine.
The heartbreaking report emerged over the weekend on social media, with photos showing the young man in Russian army uniform and messages from family and friends mourning his death. Relatives claim he left Sierra Leone a few months ago in search of a better job abroad, only to end up in active combat.
As of Sunday morning, the identity and circumstances have not yet been officially confirmed* by the Sierra Leone Government or the Sierra Leone Embassy in Moscow. Sierraloaded is withholding his full name until family confirmation.
If confirmed, Sorie would be the latest casualty among a growing number of Sierra Leoneans drawn into the conflict.
Pattern of Recruitment
According to Ukrainian Defence Intelligence (HUR) and the Ukrainian humanitarian project “I Want to Live”, at least 13 Sierra Leoneans have signed military contracts with Russia since 2023. Two are currently held as Prisoners of War (POWs) in Ukraine.
The latest confirmed victim was Kamara Alhaji, 41, a native of Bo registered in Freetown. HUR revealed on 2nd October 2026 that Kamara:
– Flew from Conakry, Guinea to Dubai on 15th March 2026
– Connected to Moscow on 16th March
– Signed a contract with the Russian army after arrival
– Was deployed to Donetsk region in early April after only days of training
– Was killed in early June near *Shakove village, Donetsk
His body was identified through documents recovered on the battlefield.
In February 2026, another unnamed Sierra Leonean was killed in Donetsk. In June, former RSLAF soldier Richard Kanu, 42, was captured after just two weeks on the front and told BBC: “When I arrived in Rostov, I saw myself in a military camp, and they told me I have a military contract.”
A Global Trafficking Network
On 10th September 2026, Amnesty International* said recruitment of Africans, including Sierra Leoneans, amounts to human trafficking. The report said brokers advertise on Facebook and TikTok as security, factory, warehouse, and driving jobs, charge up to $2,000 in fees, seize passports on arrival in Moscow, and force victims to sign Russian-language military contracts.
A new investigative report “The Death Contract” by The Hague-based Journalists For Justice (JFJ), released on 29th October 2026 during the 3rd Russia-Africa Summit, found:
– 3,034 Africans from 40 countries have joined Russia’s army since October 2022
– At least 502 have been killed by June 2026
– Average time from landing in Russia to death, injury or capture is just 44 days
– For Sierra Leone specifically: 13 recruited, 5 deaths confirmed
JFJ says Kenya has 841 recruits (76 dead), Burundi 699 in 9 months of 2026 alone, Zimbabwe 530.
