Kenya has announced plans to formally raise concerns with Moscow over reports that hundreds of its nationals have been recruited to fight for Russia in Ukraine. Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi described the practice as “unacceptable and clandestine,” warning that it threatens otherwise cordial relations between the two countries.
Authorities in Nairobi estimate that around 200 Kenyans have been lured into joining Russian forces, often through illegal recruitment agencies promising lucrative jobs abroad. Mudavadi said more than 600 such agencies have been shut down, and 27 Kenyans who fought in Russia have already been repatriated and are receiving psychological care.
“This is a very unfortunate episode in our long-standing relations with Russia,” Mudavadi told the BBC, adding that Kenya will push for agreements on visa policy and labor migration that explicitly exclude military conscription.
Families of those killed in combat say they have struggled to recover the remains of loved ones, with some bodies still in Ukraine. Relatives who sought answers from the Russian embassy in Nairobi report being turned away. “Families have not been able to bury their loved ones because their bodies are still on the other end,” Mudavadi said.
Pressure on the Kenyan government has intensified following the discovery of more bodies of citizens recruited to fight for Russia. While some families blame Nairobi for failing to regulate recruitment, Mudavadi insists the government has acted decisively against illegal agencies.
Ukraine’s defense intelligence estimates that more than 1,400 fighters from 36 African countries have joined Russian forces. Ukrainian officials have warned that foreign nationals fighting for Russia will be treated as enemy combatants, with surrender as the only safe option.
