Russian envoy pledges cooperation as Ghana registers formal protest over "atrocious conduct" of alleged national

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the Russian Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Sergei Berdnikov, to formally register the government's strong displeasure over the conduct of a supposed Russian national accused of unlawfully publishing sexually explicit images of Ghanaian women without their consent.

In a diplomatic engagement at the Ministry on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, Ambassador Berdnikov was called in on the direct instruction of Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to address what the Government described as "atrocious conduct" that "clearly violates Ghanaian law."

The Ministry's press release, issued following the closed-door meeting, confirmed that the objective of the summons was "to formally express the strong displeasure of the Government of Ghana at the atrocious conduct of the supposed Russian which clearly violates Ghanaian law, and to seek the cooperation of Russia in pursuing justice."

However, the engagement took an intriguing turn when Ambassador Berdnikov raised significant doubts about the alleged perpetrator's nationality. According to the Ministry's account, the Russian Ambassador "indicated that he is unable to confirm the Russian nationality of the individual at the centre of the intimate viral videos." In a revelation that adds a layer of complexity to the case, the Ambassador "further disclosed that the purported name making the rounds in the media is not a known Russian name and rather represents an inappropriate or vulgar expression in the Russian language."

Despite this uncertainty regarding the suspect's identity, the Ambassador demonstrated a willingness to assist Ghanaian authorities. He "acknowledged the violation of the privacy and dignity of the victims, and the larger cybercrime dimensions, while expressing the willingness of the Russian Federation to cooperate with the Republic of Ghana on the matter in issue."

The Russian Embassy's cooperation extends beyond mere expressions of goodwill. Ambassador Berdnikov "highlighted similar activities of the said individual in other countries which had come to the attention of Russian authorities and was being investigated by Russian experts." 

Crucially, he "pledged that the Embassy in Ghana is willing to share information on the matter to facilitate Ghana's ongoing efforts aimed at apprehending the individual and bringing him to justice, within the context of our longstanding bilateral relations despite the absence of a legally binding extradition treaty."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs moved swiftly to reassure the Ghanaian public of its commitment to pursuing the matter to its conclusion. In a statement that underscored the diplomatic channels available to the Government, the Ministry affirmed that it would "leverage the cordial bilateral relations between Ghana and Russia, and to explore all international tools and remedies to ensure that justice is secured."

The case, which has generated significant public outrage across Ghanaian social media and traditional media platforms, centres on the alleged non-consensual publication of intimate images and videos of Ghanaian women, raising serious questions about cybercrime, privacy violations, and the dignity of victims in the digital age.