Nigeria, April 2 -- The desertion of soldiers to fight in Ukraine weakens the operational capacity of several African militaries and the stability of the affected countries. Cameroon's government recently highlighted the trend which, although not new, has intensified since Russia invaded Ukraine.

A 7 March statement by Cameroon's Defence Minister Joseph Beti Assomo sheds light on the 'illicit involvement' of the country's troops in the Ukraine war. A minority of deserters are 'foreign volunteers' who fight for Ukraine, while most are '[Vladimir] Putin's Tirailleurs' (riflemen) who have signed up with Russia.

While no official statistics exist on desertion rates, the situation is concerning for a country grappling with threats from Boko ...