Botswana warns of rise in citizens lured into Russia's war in Ukraine

GABORONE, Botswana — Botswana's government has reported an "alarming" rise in the number of its citizens being recruited into Russia's war against Ukraine through fraudulent job offers. Officials said deceptive military solicitations posted on social media and online platforms have targeted young Botswanans, drawing them into combat roles. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said most of those affected were lured with promises of work in security, construction or technical fields before being deployed to the front line. The ministry did not provide figures on how many citizens had been recruited or returned. Botswana announced it would review its diplomatic relations with Russia and take urgent steps to protect its nationals. Coordination has been established with Kyiv and Botswanan embassies in the region to evacuate affected citizens, according to the government. The country also called on the international community to cooperate against what it described as human trafficking and forced labor linked to the conflict. No further details on the planned measures or the number of returnees were immediately available.