Claim: A TikTok user shared a video of uniformed men identified as Ghanaians who were recruited into the Russian armed forces.
Verdict: False. A search indicates that the clip dates back to 2018, during which Angolan troops celebrated Defender of the Fatherland Day in Russia.
Africans making brave exploits in countries across Europe, Asia, and the Americas generally inspire pride among their kinsmen in their respective countries. More interesting is if such Africans break through supposedly unsurmountable sectors. One such example is within the armed forces.
In November 2022, reports announced the promotion of Amanda Azubuike, a Nigerian woman, from the rank of Colonel to Brigadier General in the United States Army stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky, USA.
Azubuike, who was born in London to Nigerian parents, enlisted in the US Army in 1994 and later qualified as an aviator after completing the Army Aviation Officer Basic Course. As the commander of the US Army Futures affirmed, Azubuike’s leadership “elevates the performance of everyone around her.”
Azuibuike is hardly an isolated example of Africans in the Diaspora famous for brilliant exploits. News of such typically ignites heavy traction on social-media platforms.
A TikTok user named Kinzhal Uncensored shared a video of a group of Black men singing and jogging while other white uniformed men stood in attention, watching them in action.
The video included an image of Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, along with an additional clip of the account owner explaining the details of the video.
He began with a short giggle and exclaimed, “Ghanaians are joining the Russian army, Ghanaians are joining the Russian army. Can you imagine? These are Ghanaians.”
The user continued, “I can’t believe Ghanaians are joining the Russian army, because it is the most powerful on the face of the earth.”
In a suggestive tone, he asked, “Are you African and you want to join the Russian army? President Putin has proven to be the strongest person on earth.” He concluded his post by reiterating his words about the strength of the Russian army while also nodding to the song of the uniformed group of men in the clip.
DUBAWA first checked through the post’s visible analytics and noted several reactions. As of April 17, 2024, between the hours of 4:31 and 4:40 pm, the video had garnered 27,300 likes, 4,595 comments, 2,923 bookmarks, and 4,756 shares.
A remarkable trail of comments followed the post, most of which indicated interest in the post.
A user named Pastor Pure commented: “How can I join the Russian army from Nigeria?”
Another user, awododdella5, also inquired: “Please, I am a serving soldier in Nigeria, how do I join the Russian army?”
Nicholadsetshedi, another commenter, said: “Salute Ghana. South Africa, please let us join Russian soldiers to defeat enemies of Russia. Uraa.”
A few users, however, questioned the claims made in the post.
0sk_multimedia, commented: “Get your information right before you make a post.”
DUBAWA also observed that the flag being hoisted was not Ghanaian. Likewise, the tribe they sang in was also unfamiliar, making it difficult to determine if it was Ghanaian. Overall, the video’s questionable nature prompted a deeper search for the truth.
Verification
One of the reports described the clip as a day for celebrating the defenders of the Fatherland. The troops of the Omsk garrison held a formation parade at Cathedral Square, Russia. The troops were identified as cadets from the Republic of Angola.
According to the report shared in 2018, Omsk was enthralled by the cadets from the Republic of Angola, who marched in formation and sang a song in their native language. Notably, the Angolans’ marching step was distinctive as they moved without bending their knees, earning them recognition.
Other reports corroborated the same details depicted in the video, with no mention of Ghana or recruitment. You can find them here and here.
After employing various search methods, the investigation yielded results from Yandex, a reverse image search tool. This led DUBAWA to reports from a reputable Russian media outlet known as ‘безформата’ or ‘bezformata’.
More confirmation was acquired when DUBAWA confirmed the flag held by the uniformed men as an Angolan flag.
The fast spread of false narratives on TikTok
DUBAWA closely monitored the user’s account who shared the claim about Ghanaians being recruited into the Russian army. It has been discovered that the user has been sharing numerous false videos. Currently, the user has 115,700 followers and 1.4 million likes.
TikTok has emerged as a vast platform with a large and diverse audience, making it highly influential in disseminating content. The age range of its users contributes to the rapid reaction to content on the platform for several reasons. First, younger users, who make up a significant chunk of the demographic, are often more active and engaged on social media platforms, leading to a faster response to content.
Secondly, younger users are typically more accustomed to the fast-paced nature of online interactions and are, therefore, more likely to engage with content quickly. Moreover, the short attention spans of many users, particularly younger ones, mean that content needs to capture their interest quickly to maintain engagement.
The rapid spread of information on TikTok comes with the risk of spreading false or misleading information quickly. Due to its algorithm-driven nature and the ease with which content can go viral, misinformation can proliferate swiftly before it is fact-checked or corrected. This poses challenges in maintaining the accuracy and reliability of information shared on the platform, requiring vigilance and pre-emptive measures to address the spread of false information effectively.
Conclusion
Thorough research revealed that none of the results suggested the recruitment of Ghanaians into the Russian ranks, rendering the claims false.
The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame KariKari Fellowship, in partnership with Prime Progress, to facilitate the ethos of “ truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country.
A TikTok user falsely claimed that uniformed Ghanaians were recruited into the Russian armed forces, as evidenced by a viral video. However, this video actually dates back to 2018 and features Angolan troops celebrating Defender of the Fatherland Day in Russia. This has been confirmed through extensive verification, indicating no Ghanaians were involved.
News of Africans achieving significant milestones, like Amanda Azubuike's promotion to Brigadier General in the US Army, often gains substantial traction on social media. This narrative of African success might have fueled the spread of the misleading TikTok video.
Dubawa's investigation into the viral clip revealed it depicted Angolan cadets and not Ghanaians, as initially claimed. The clip was part of a celebration at Cathedral Square in Russia, and the troops were identified by the Angolan flag they carried.
The spread of such misinformation on TikTok highlights the platform's potential for rapid dissemination of false content, driven by its algorithm and the active engagement of younger users. This underscores the importance of vigilant fact-checking to maintain information accuracy.
Overall, comprehensive research led to the conclusion that the claims of Ghanaian recruitment into the Russian army are false.
This fact-check was produced by Dubawa as part of the Kwame KariKari Fellowship, in partnership with Prime Progress, to promote truth in journalism and enhance media literacy.
