Ghanaian-Born Man Speaks On Why He's Serving In The Russian Defense Ministry Amid War On Ukraine

Ghanaian-Born Man Speaks On Why He's Serving In The Russian Defense Ministry Amid War On Ukraine

  • Nabillari Isan, a Ghanaian-born Russian citizen, is serving as a volunteer in a Russian Defence Ministry unit during the special military operation
  • Isan spoke to TASS about his motivations for joining, citing what he described as crimes against civilians in Ukraine
  • The volunteer also addressed Ukraine's potential NATO membership as a key reason behind Russia's military campaign

A Ghana-born man serving as a volunteer in the Russian armed forces has given an interview to Russian state news agency TASS, explaining why he believes Russia's military campaign in Ukraine is necessary.

Nabillari Isan, who holds Russian citizenship and lives in Russia with his wife and daughter, is currently deployed as part of a unit under the Russian Defence Ministry.

Ghanaian-Born Man, Russian Defense Ministry, President Vladimir Putin, Moscow, UKraine
Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with the Russian Defence Ministry leadership in Moscow on August 5, 2026. Credit: Alexander KAZAKOV
Source: Getty Images

He spoke to TASS as part of a project called *Ukraine Is Missing*.

In the interview, Isan said the environment of active military service reinforces a sense of duty to act. "When you're in this place, you always have the feeling that you have to do everything to support what is happening," he said.

Read also

"I am not speaking as a prophet": Duncan-Williams delivers scary warning about GoldBod

He framed Russia's operation as a response to what he characterised as attacks on civilians, describing the campaign's purpose in collective terms.

"Russia is standing on something like: 'We have to come together and speak out against crimes against the civilian population. This is what the special military operation is about,'" Isan said.

He also identified Ukraine's potential accession to NATO as a central concern driving his support for the operation.

"I think this is the best thing that can be done, to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO," he added.

Isan had previously spoken to TASS about what motivated him to enlist, stating that many recruits joined the Russian army out of a desire to combat what he described as modern-day Nazism in Ukraine.

His case is notable given his origins. Born in Ghana, Isan represents a small but documented group of foreign nationals who have taken up Russian citizenship and subsequently volunteered to fight in the conflict.

Read also

South Sudan embassy in Nairobi closed over unpaid rent

His comments reflect the framing used by the Russian government to justify the operation, which it has described as a denazification and demilitarisation effort, claims that Ukraine and its Western allies have repeatedly rejected.

Don't miss out! Get your daily dose of sports news straight to your phone. Join YEN's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!

Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Delali Adogla-Bessa avatar

Delali Adogla-Bessa (Head of Current Affairs and Politics Desk) Delali Adogla-Bessa is a Current Affairs Editor with YEN.com.gh. Delali previously worked as a freelance journalist in Ghana and has over seven years of experience in media, primarily with Citi FM, Equal Times, Ubuntu Times. Delali also volunteers with the Ghana Institute of Language Literacy and Bible Translation, where he documents efforts to preserve local languages. He graduated from the University of Ghana in 2014 with a BA in Information Studies. Email: delali.adogla-bessa@yen.com.gh.