More than 200 Kenyan nationals, some without their knowledge, were allegedly recruited to fight in the Russian army in Ukraine after responding to job or scholarship offers. Kenyan authorities denounce this fraudulent recruitment scheme and are seeking the release and repatriation of their citizens.

According to the Daily Nation, as many as 200 Kenyans may currently be fighting for Russia in Ukraine after being lured by offers presented as jobs or scholarships. Once in Russia, they were allegedly forcibly recruited and secretly sent to the Ukrainian front.

The Kenyan newspaper also reveals that the names of at least 82 recruits have been identified, including those killed, wounded, and captured fighters. Many are now reportedly trying to flee the war zone. The Daily Nation describes it as a “deadly employment scam,” primarily run by criminal networks based in Kenya.

These recruits allegedly paid between 70,000 and 200,000 Kenyan shillings (between €460 and €1,300) to recruitment agencies, which promised them salaries of up to 300,000 shillings per month, or almost €2,000. The Kenyan Directorate of Criminal Investigations has implicated two agencies based in Nairobi, according to the Kenyan daily newspaper.

Victims held in military camps

In a statement dated October 27, quoted by AFP, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims that Kenyans have been “lured” by recruiters to fight alongside Russian troops.

“Kenyans are being lured by corrupt and ruthless agents into Russia and are unwittingly becoming involved in a Russian military operation,” the Kenyan Foreign Ministry said in a statement signed by Musalia Mudavadi, the Prime Minister’s secretary and head of diplomacy.

These men are now being held in military camps across Russia, according to the statement.

The ministry also mentioned falsification of information and identity theft. “The system has been complicated by agents posing as collaborators of the Russian government who use unscrupulous methods, including falsification of information, to lure innocent Kenyans onto the battlefield,” the ministry continued.

Nairobi says it held a “crucial meeting” with Russian officials in September to facilitate the release and repatriation of those concerned, but does not provide specific figures.

The Kenyan daily reports that the majority of these people had no military experience and had only received a quick five-day training course before being sent to the front.

The BBC reported in November that Musalia Mudavadi claimed that some rescued Kenyans had been forced to assemble drones or handle chemicals without adequate training or even protective equipment.

At a press conference on Wednesday, November 12, Musalia Mudavadi stated that “More than 200 Kenyans have reportedly joined the Russian army… recruitment networks are still active in Kenya and Russia.” He also specified that the Kenyan embassy in Moscow had documented injuries among some of the victims.

A broader phenomenon

According to Daily Nation, there are 1436 citizens from 36 countries currently on the Russian front in Ukraine.

The BBC reports that nationals from Somalia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Cuba, and Sri Lanka are being held in Ukrainian prisoner-of-war camps, according to Petro Yatsenko, the Ukrainian spokesman for the treatment of prisoners of war.

Kenyan President William Ruto called on the Ukrainian government in early November to release Kenyans detained in the conflict zone. “These crimes constitute a serious threat not only to Kenya’s national security, but also to global security,” warned Musalia Mudavadi, according to the BBC.

The Daily Nation notes that Russia has repeatedly been accused of having foreigners sign military contracts written in Russian, which are incomprehensible to them. Despite this, the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains its commitment to negotiating a formal employment agreement with Moscow, intended to offer Kenyans “genuine job opportunities in Russia” in order to combat illegal recruitment networks.