Over 1,000 Kenyans Recruited into Russia’s Ukraine War as Trafficking Network Exposed

More than 1,000 Kenyans have reportedly been lured to fight for Russia in its ongoing war with Ukraine, according to an intelligence brief presented to Kenya’s parliament, revealing the scale of what authorities describe as an organised recruitment network targeting vulnerable citizens.

The majority leader of Kenya’s National Assembly, Kimani Ichung’wah, told lawmakers that “rogue recruitment agencies and individuals in Kenya” were actively facilitating the movement of Kenyan nationals to the conflict zone. He was presenting findings from an investigation conducted by the National Intelligence Service.

The reported figure marks a sharp rise from November 2025, when the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs stated that just over 200 Kenyans had travelled to Russia in connection with the war. The new estimate suggests the number may now exceed 1,000.

According to the intelligence report, recruiters have been targeting former military personnel, police officers, and civilians aged between their mid-20s and 50s who are struggling to secure employment. 

Promises of lucrative pay packages — including monthly salaries of about KSh350,000, performance bonuses ranging between KSh900,000 and KSh1.2 million, and the possibility of Russian citizenship — were reportedly used to entice recruits.

Ichung’wah further alleged that the agencies colluded with officials from key state departments to bypass security checks at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. 

The report named the Directorate of Immigration Services, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and its Anti-Narcotics Unit, as well as the National Employment Authority as institutions where rogue officers may have assisted in facilitating travel.

It also alleged that the recruitment networks worked closely with staff at the Embassy of Russia in Kenya and the Embassy of Kenya in Moscow to secure visitor visas for recruits.

In response, the Russian embassy strongly denied the claims, terming them part of “a dangerous and misleading propaganda campaign.” 

In a statement posted on X, the embassy insisted that Russian authorities had never engaged in illegal recruitment of Kenyan citizens into the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

The intelligence report also noted that due to increased scrutiny at Kenyan airports, recruiters have shifted routes. 

Prospective fighters are now reportedly travelling through neighbouring countries such as Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Africa before heading to Russia.

As of February 2026, the report indicated that 39 Kenyans had been hospitalised, 30 repatriated, 28 were missing in action, 35 stationed at military bases, 89 deployed on the frontline, one detained and one had completed his contract.

The growing involvement of African nationals in the war has drawn international concern. In November, Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, claimed that more than 1,400 individuals from 36 African countries were fighting on Russia’s side, with many captured and held as prisoners of war.

Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, is expected to visit Russia next month to address what he described as the “unacceptable and clandestine” recruitment of Kenyan nationals.

Meanwhile, in South Africa, four citizens recently returned home after allegedly being misled into joining the conflict. 

South Africa’s foreign minister, Ronald Lamola, acknowledged the complexity of securing the release of those still at the frontline, noting that many were reportedly recruited through private contractors rather than directly by the Russian army.

The revelations have sparked fresh debate in Kenya over labour migration oversight, youth unemployment and the role of foreign actors in exploiting economic vulnerabilities, as lawmakers push for swift investigations and accountability.