By Hans Ngala
A Cameroonian company which targets Cameroonian men for recruitment into the Russia army has been sanctioned. Enangue Holdings owned by Paris-based and Cameroon-born Michel Ateba was one of 35 persons and entities sanctioned by the UK Foreign Office for “recruiting vulnerable migrants to fight for Russia against Ukraine and produce drones for use in the conflict” Reuters reported May 5.
Ateba (full name Michel Guy France Awana Ateba) has openly promoted Alabuga Start through his company Enangue Holdings and has stated that the Cameroon government supports his promotion of the Alabuga Start program which helps recruit young girls for educational exchange in Russia, though there are allegations that the girls end up producing drones for Russia – making them legitimate targets by Ukraine.
Efforts to reach Ateba via his company proved futile as he did not respond to requests for comment.
However, CNA obtained the list of companies and individuals sanctioned by the UK with Michel Ateba’s name listed on the fourth spot. The reason for sanctions on him and his company, Enangue Holdings are stated thus:
“The Secretary of State considers that there are reasonable grounds to suspect that Michel Guy France Awana ATEBA is an involved person under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 on the basis of the following grounds: He is or has been involved in destabilising Ukraine or undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine by providing support for or promoting actions which destabilise Ukraine or undermine or threaten its territorial integrity or independence”.
The statement goes further, stating that “As Director and Chief Executive Officer of Enangue Holdings, an entity incorporated in France but headquartered in Cameroon, he has been involved in the recruitment of foreign nationals, largely from Cameroon, to join the Alabuga Start Programme. The Alabuga Start Programme is a recruitment scheme based in Russia which avails itself of deceptive practices to hire individuals, often from economically insecure backgrounds, to work in Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone in the Republic of Tatarstan. These individuals assist in the production of military drones within the Alabuga Special Economic Zone which are then deployed as attack and reconnaissance vehicles in Ukraine”.
On February 28, 2026, CNA reported on the documented deaths of 95 Cameroonians who died fighting on behalf of Russia in Ukraine. Before the list of 95 names was released by a Franco-Swiss team of investigative journalists, CNA had already been reporting on the deaths of Cameroonians, dying on behalf of Russia. So far, our reporting has identified five Cameroonian men who died fighting on behalf of Russia and whose families our reporters have contacted.
Companies like Enangue Holdings and several others help with facilitating the recruitment of Cameroonian men – desperate for work – to join the Russian army. They are often promised high salaries and even Russian citizenship upon finishing their contracts as mercenary fighters on behalf of Russia. Sadly, most of them die within months of arriving the frontlines in Ukraine according to the report by INPACT – the Franco-Swiss team of reporters.
The sanctions on recruiters by UK authorities is meant to deter the recruitment of foreigners into the Russian army and hopefully weaken it.
“Those recruited, who are largely from Cameroon, are put to work at a plant located 500 miles (800 km) east of Moscow in the Republic of Tatarstan to produce drones” Reuters reported, quoting the UK Foreign Office.
We spoke to Cameroonian writer and political scientist, Dibussi Tande, a respected voice in contemporary Cameroonian issues who is of the view that “While the sanctions might have an initial chilling effect, I don’t believe we will see a fundamental shift in the situation on the ground”.
Tande stated that “Despite the tragic, well-publicized deaths of many Cameroonians on the Ukrainian front lines and the mounting evidence of deceptive recruitment practices in the media, many Cameroonians remain desperate enough to try their luck, regardless of the risks”.
While Russia has often been accused of “deceptive” recruitment, our reporting at CNA and based on feedback on the stories we’ve published in relation to the Russia-Ukraine War and Cameroonians – that many Cameroonians are aware of what they are signing up for.
We made several attempts to reach the Russian embassy for comment, sending emails and calling them telephonically. An official answered the phone and acknowledged receipt of our email but never responded to our questions about whether Russia was aware of the recruitment of Cameroonians to join its army.
Yaounde and Moscow maintain cordial ties, signing a military cooperation deal on 12 April, 2022 – just weeks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While the military cooperation deal was for 5 years (meaning it expired on April 12, 2026) just weeks ago – Moscow and Yaounde still maintain cordial ties and the deal could be extended further as the Biya regime continues a war in its Anglophone regions which has comparatively been more condemned by Western governments and never by Russia.
Whether the sanctions by UK authorities will deter Cameroonian recruiters from helping with the recruitment of their fellow countrymen into Russia’s army remains to be seen. But Dibussi Tande, the political analyst quoted earlier, goes on to explain that “We also have to look at who is doing the recruiting. A company like Enangue Holdings is duly registered and operates in the open, but they are the exception. Most of these recruiters are shady, underground networks that are incredibly difficult to trace or hold accountable. These agencies may now go even deeper into the shadows to avoid prying eyes, but their activities won’t stop. As long as the pull of a financial windfall in Russia exists, people will continue to seek out alternate routes to Moscow”.
