Witnesses say people queuing outside the embassy did not enter, but some staff members approached people outside and then picked up papers and documents.
Among those in the front yard of the Russian embassy was Feleke Gebrekidan, a veteran of the Ethiopian army. He said the people he thought were being recruited were former members of the Ethiopian army, who are currently unemployed. Feleke said that when he heard the news he took his papers to be one of the recruits. Feleke was outside the embassy for three days without being able to enter.
There are many Ethiopians who are unhappy with this, such as Tewodros Sime, a neighbor of the Russian embassy in Addis Ababa, and she describes this as a mistake.
Maria Chernukhina, a spokeswoman for the Russian embassy in Addis Ababa, who spoke to VOA, acknowledged that some of the people in the queue had documents, but said this reflected their wishes and aspirations. "The Russian embassy does not employ people for any purpose, as this is not the responsibility of their diplomatic missions," she said.
Maria added that since the beginning of the war, Ethiopians have been calling and sending emails to the embassy to show their support for Russia.
Contacted by VOA, the Ukrainian embassy in Addis Ababa declined to comment, and the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.