Russia Agrees To Stop Recruiting Kenyans To Fight In Ukraine

Kenya’s Foreign Minister, Musalia Mudavadi, said on Monday that Russia has agreed to stop recruiting Kenyan citizens to fight alongside its army in Ukraine. The announcement came after talks in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

“We have now agreed that Kenyans shall not be enlisted through the Russian Ministry of Defence; they will no longer be eligible to serve. There will be no further enlisting,” Mudavadi told reporters, adding that consular support will be provided for any Kenyans requiring assistance.

Mudavadi stressed that Kenya’s partnership with Russia extends beyond the conflict in Ukraine.

“We do not want our relationship with Russia to be defined only by the special operation agenda. The ties between our countries are much broader,” he said.

Kenya’s intelligence services estimate that over 1,000 of its citizens have already been sent to fight for Russia, often with limited training.

Across Africa, more than 1,700 nationals from 36 countries are believed to be involved in the conflict, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Some joined voluntarily, attracted by salaries and bonuses, while others report being misled into thinking they were taking regular jobs in Russia. Kenyan politicians have warned of networks that allegedly recruited citizens through irregular channels, a practice Nairobi says it intends to stop.

In one case, long-distance runner Evans Kibet was reportedly tricked into signing a military contract after travelling to Russia for a sporting event.

Lavrov said the Russian defence ministry is reviewing cases that raised concerns among Nairobi and emphasized that those who joined had done so voluntarily in compliance with Russian law.

The agreement marks a diplomatic step toward preventing further enlistment of Kenyan citizens in the Ukraine conflict.