The "I Want to Live" project, an initiative operating under the Ukrainian intelligence agency, has released the names of 34 Ethiopian nationals allegedly participating in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
According to the project’s report, at least three of the individuals named have been confirmed dead. The report outlines that these Ethiopian nationals were recruited at different intervals: eight signed contracts on December 24, 2024, ten on September 1, 2025, and nine on October 30, 2025.
The initiative emphasized that these individuals did not sign contracts directly with the Russian military, but were instead recruited through illegal human trafficking networks.
The report identified Adunya Aaron and Zeleke Nathanael as the youngest among those listed, both in their early 20s, while 50-year-old Habtemariam Sintayehu was identified as the oldest.
While the project successfully verified the identities of these 34 individuals, it warned that the actual number of Ethiopians fighting within the Russian ranks is likely much higher.
Data released by the project indicates that a total of 2,984 foreign fighters from 40 African countries are currently serving with Russian forces, with six confirmed deaths among them so far.
The release of these names comes amidst high-level diplomatic activity in Addis Ababa, where Ethiopian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Gedion Timotheos, held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov yesterday.
This development brings renewed international attention to the Russian Embassy in Addis Ababa, a location that became a focal point of public scrutiny two years ago.
At that time, hundreds of former Ethiopian military personnel gathered in long queues outside the embassy, reportedly seeking to register for service in the Russian armed forces.
While the applicants at the time claimed they were registering for military deployment, the Russian Embassy in Addis Ababa stated that the individuals were not being recruited for combat, but were merely demonstrating their support for the Russian Federation.
The Ethiopian government did not issue an official statement on the matter at the time, and the tension outside the embassy eventually subsided following the Russian diplomatic mission's clarification.
The incident, however, triggered widespread public debate, highlighting the severe economic pressures and high unemployment rates faced by former Ethiopian soldiers, which many viewed as the underlying driver for such actions.
