More than 1,000 Kenyan citizens have been recruited to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, according to an intelligence report presented to Kenya’s parliament on Tuesday, a figure significantly higher than previous estimates. The report, a joint investigation by Kenya’s National Intelligence Service and Directorate of Criminal Investigations, indicates the scale of recruitment is “over 1,000,” surpassing the approximately 200 previously acknowledged by Kenyan authorities in December.
The recruitment process, as detailed in the intelligence report and corroborated by investigations from outlets including AFP, involves enticing men with promises of high-paying jobs, which subsequently turn into forced military service on the Ukrainian front lines. Kenyan citizens are reportedly entering Russia via tourist visas, traveling through transit hubs in Istanbul, Turkey, and Abu Dhabi, UAE, according to parliament majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah.
Ichung’wah further stated that increased security measures at Nairobi’s airport have prompted recruiters to shift their operations, utilizing other African countries as transit points to evade detection. He also alleged collusion between unlicensed recruitment agencies and “rogue airport staff” in facilitating the process. As of Tuesday, the report indicated that 39 Kenyans are currently hospitalized due to injuries sustained while fighting, 28 are listed as missing in action, and 89 remain actively engaged on the front lines.
The Kenyan government has condemned the practice of using its citizens as “cannon fodder” and is preparing to formally protest the recruitment of its nationals. Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi is scheduled to visit Moscow next month to discuss the issue, according to reports. This follows earlier statements from Mudavadi in February 10, 2026, calling the recruitment “unacceptable and clandestine” and announcing plans to urge Moscow to prohibit the conscription of Kenyan soldiers.
Kenya intends to pursue discussions with Russia regarding visa policies and bilateral labor agreements that would explicitly exclude military conscription, Mudavadi stated. Authorities have already shut down over 600 recruitment agencies suspected of fraudulent practices. Twenty-seven Kenyans who had been fighting in Russia have been repatriated, and are receiving psychological care to address trauma and undergo “de-radicalisation” programs, according to the Foreign Minister.
The recruitment of Kenyan fighters is not an isolated incident. Uganda and South Africa are also reported to be targets for Russian recruitment efforts as Russia continues to sustain heavy casualties in Ukraine. The Moscow Times reported on February 19, 2026, that the Kenyan Foreign Minister’s visit to Moscow is a direct response to the growing evidence of this recruitment.
The Russian government has not yet formally addressed the reports regarding the recruitment of Kenyan citizens, and relatives seeking information from the Russian embassy in Nairobi have reportedly been denied answers, according to the BBC.
