Daniel Angel Masie Nchama had no idea what he was getting into when Russian recruiters sent the him from Equatorial Guinea into battle in war-ravaged Ukraine.
Dreaming of finding a life abroad, he was convinced by a Cameroonian named "Fabrice" to head to Russia.
The 22-year-old former IT student left in December 2025, believing he was going to undergo military training, with the promise of work as a bodyguard.
Now back home at his parents' home in the capital Malabo, he recalled the freezing cold, hunger, fear and finally, flight - achieved with the help of his country's diplomatic efforts.
On arrival in Russia, he said he and the other prospective recruits were asked to sign documents in Russian, a language none of them spoke.
