More than 1,000 Kenyans have been fraudulently recruited to fight on behalf of Russia in the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to a Kenyan intelligence report presented to lawmakers.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) told Parliament that the figure is five times higher than earlier estimates and that many of the recruits were lured with the promise of legitimate jobs overseas before being sent to the front lines.
The report, delivered by Kenya’s parliamentary leader Kimani Ichung’wah, said recruiters targeted former soldiers, police officers and unemployed people, offering what appeared to be high-paying work such as truck driving, security, plumbing or electrical jobs in Russia. Many Kenyans accepted the offers, believing they would earn significantly more than they could at home.
Instead, once in Russia, recruits say they were pressured into signing military contracts written in Russian, which they could not read, and were quickly deployed to Ukraine’s war zones with minimal training. One Kenyan who returned home described being told: “This is the Russian military, and once you are in, you either fight or die.”
The intelligence report outlines the human cost of the recruitment. It states that 89 Kenyans are currently on the frontline in Ukraine, 39 have been hospitalised and 28 are missing, while at least one Kenyan has been confirmed dead. Authorities have repatriated some individuals, but families remain desperate for information and assistance.
Relatives of those believed to be fighting in Ukraine have held protests in Nairobi, demanding government action and accountability. Many say they have lost contact with loved ones who left Kenya months ago after being promised employment, only to end up in one of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones.
Kenyan officials claim that rogue recruitment agencies, corrupt state officials and human trafficking networks helped facilitate the movement of recruits, often using tourist visas and indirect travel routes through countries such as Uganda, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo to bypass tighter surveillance at Kenyan airports.
The Russian Embassy in Nairobi has strongly denied any illegal recruitment, calling the allegations “dangerous and misleading” and saying it has not issued visas to Kenyans intending to fight in Ukraine. The embassy added that under Russian law, foreign nationals may voluntarily enlist in the armed forces.
Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi has said he plans to travel to Moscow for talks with Russian officials, stressing the need to protect citizens from exploitation and to discuss repatriation efforts. The government has also stepped up diplomatic engagement to try to ensure the safe return of Kenyans caught in the conflict.
The revelations have raised alarm across Africa, where similar cases of Africans being recruited to fight for Russia have been reported, prompting concerns about deceptive recruitment practices and the safety of citizens abroad.
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