Dozens of Kenyan men have travelled to Russia after being offered employment, attractive salaries, and signing bonuses, only to find themselves trapped in the Russia-Ukraine war. Many of those recruited were misled into believing they had secured well-paying jobs in the security and logistics sectors, including driving positions, according to reports. An earlier National Intelligence Service report presented to the National Assembly by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah placed the number of Kenyans involved at more than 1,000, noting that some traveled through third countries before reaching Russia.
Recruitment and False Promises Lead Kenyans to the Frontline
Official figures regarding the scale of the recruitment vary. As of May 7, 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs placed the number of Kenyans recruited at 291, while Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu reported in July 2026 that a total of 289 Kenyans had been recruited into the Russian military. Returnees described contracts offering tens of thousands of dollars, with some saying deposits were made into Russian bank accounts before being told that international sanctions prevented the money from being transferred.
Combat Realities and Casualties in Ukraine
Recruits arriving in Russia typically traveled to cities such as Yaroslavl, where they signed military contracts and were sent to a training center. According to updates from Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR), training lasted about a week and a half before recruits were deployed to active conflict zones, such as the Kharkiv region.
Foreign fighters have frequently been reassigned from initial non-combat duties into frontline assault roles. For example, Eric Mwangi Nyambura was initially assigned as a radio operator but was later transferred to an assault unit and deployed near the village of Borova, where he was killed by a Ukrainian mortar strike in early 2026. HUR identified other members of that arrival group, including Joseph Kamau Wanjiru, Joel Ngure Karithi, Ronald Kipkurui Kibet, Ombwori Denis Bagaku, and Wahome Simon Gitittu.
Discrepancies remain over total casualties. While the Kenyan government announced that 19 Kenyans had died in Russia and 32 remained unaccounted for as Missing in Action, other estimates are significantly higher. Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” project claimed to have identified 59 dead Kenyan nationals among 485 African fighters killed while fighting for the Russian military. Meanwhile, the Kenyan State Department for Diaspora Affairs reported that 69 individuals had been confirmed dead or are missing, with 153 remaining unaccounted for and 64 having returned home. Five Kenyan prisoners of war are also being held in Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian ambassador in Nairobi.
Government Push for Stops and Diplomatic Intervention
The Kenyan government has stepped up efforts to stop its citizens from being recruited, tightening oversight of recruitment agencies, pursuing international legal protections, and warning citizens against fraudulent overseas job offers. Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a visit to Moscow, securing an agreement to place Kenya on a Russian military recruitment stop list.
During the visit, the two sides agreed on measures to facilitate the withdrawal of Kenyans already involved in the conflict and unwilling to continue fighting. Russia agreed to disengage Kenyans who are currently in the operations and unwilling to continue in the assignment and to expedite applicable compensation processes through appropriate diplomatic channels,
Mudavadi stated. However, officials have acknowledged that removing Kenyans from active battlefields is difficult while they remain bound by existing contracts, which Russia has insisted must be honoured.
To prevent future recruitment, the government sought Cabinet approval to accede to international conventions dealing with mercenarism, specifically the 1989 United Nations Convention Against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries and the 1977 Organisation of African Unity Convention for the Elimination of Mercenarism in Africa. Mudavadi noted that these instruments will form part of Kenyan laws pursuant to Article 2 (6) of the Constitution of Kenya, strengthening Section 68 of the Penal Code, which criminalises the enlistment or training of Kenyans for foreign military service without presidential authority. Additionally, authorities have strengthened the Diaspora Placement Agency, introduced pre-departure checks at airports, and intensified public awareness campaigns.
Struggles for Repatriation and Compensation
Families of recruited Kenyans face lengthy and unclear procedures to establish what happened to their relatives, with many left dealing with conflicting information from authorities. Grace Gathoni, whose husband left in 2025 after being promised a driver’s job, described receiving mixed updates from the Ministry placing him in a camp before classifying him as Missing in Action. In several cases, families have held symbolic burials because they have been unable to recover the remains of relatives who died thousands of kilometres away.
Families are also struggling to access promised financial compensation. Although intermediaries have approached some relatives promising compensation worth millions of shillings, a civil society leader confirmed that no Kenyan family has received official compensation from Russia, and none of the claims have been substantiated. The office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary has confirmed that it is communicating with Moscow over the ongoing issues of repatriation and compensation.
