Unusual Russia

Three African soccer players were reportedly invited to Russia to play for FC Ural — but ended up being sent to the war in Ukraine.

In 2025, 19-year-old Cameroonian player Stevis Astrid Mevungu Mbe, his brother, and a friend received an offer from a supposed agent to join the Russian club. Not knowing Russian, they signed documents and flew to Moscow.

But after landing, they were taken not to a training facility, but to a military recruitment office.

It turned out the papers they had signed were actually one-year military contracts. They were allegedly told they could return to soccer after serving.

Stevis ended up as an assault soldier and was wounded three times. His friend was killed, and his brother was captured. After his contract ended in May, the surviving Cameroonian settled in Yekaterinburg, where he now coaches teenagers.