‘They Promised Jobs’ – Over 1,000 Kenyans Tricked into Fighting for Russia in Ukraine War

Fresh findings before Kenya’s parliament have revealed that more than 1,000 Kenyan citizens were recruited to fight for Russia in the Ukraine conflict under false promises of employment.

The report states that many of the men believed they were signing contracts for well-paid jobs abroad. Instead, they were deployed to active battle zones after arriving in Russia.

Lawmakers were told that the scale of recruitment is far higher than earlier government estimates.

According to parliamentary leaders, the recruits left Kenya using tourist visas and travelled through transit routes in Istanbul and Abu Dhabi before entering Russia.

Government authorities say tighter checks at Nairobi airport forced recruiters to reroute victims through other African countries to avoid suspicion.

Speaking in parliament, Kimani Ichung’wah disclosed that illegal recruitment agencies were working with corrupt airport officials to move young Kenyans out of the country. He added that the operation had become organized and difficult to track.

Security agencies reported grim figures from the battlefield. At least 39 Kenyans are currently receiving treatment in hospitals. Another 28 are missing in action. About 89 are believed to be fighting on the front lines.

The joint investigation was carried out by Kenya’s National Intelligence Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations. Their findings were formally presented to parliament this week.

Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Musalia Mudavadi, is expected to travel to Moscow next month to raise concerns over the recruitment of Kenyan nationals. The government described the situation as the exploitation of vulnerable citizens and warned against turning them into “cannon fodder” in a foreign war.

Officials also confirmed that the recruitment drive is not limited to Kenya. Similar patterns have been recorded in Uganda and South Africa, as Russia struggles with heavy troop losses.