Over 1,000 Kenyans recruited for Russia-Ukraine conflict

Nairobi (Reuters) – A recent Kenyan intelligence report, presented to lawmakers this week, reveals that over 1,000 of its citizens have been recruited by rogue state officials and human trafficking syndicates to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. This figure is five times higher than the initial estimate of 200 set forth by Kenya’s authorities last November.

The report identifies a network of corrupt officials, including former soldiers and police officers who received promises of up to $9,309 per month for enlisting in Russia’s war effort. Victims were often recruited via travel agencies operating from Nairobi airport, where they obtained tourist visas before traveling through various African countries to reach Russia.

As the Kenyan government tightened security at its airports, those seeking combat roles began using other means of transport like Uganda, South Africa, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to evade detection. Recruitment was facilitated by collusion between state officials, airport staff, and Russian Embassy personnel in Nairobi.

In a statement, the Russian Embassy disputed the report, stating that it had never engaged illegally in recruiting Kenyans for service within its armed forces. However, it did acknowledge foreign citizens could voluntarily enlist under Russian law to participate in operations in Ukraine.

Despite these assertions, tensions continue to simmer between Kenya and Russia over allegations of human trafficking and illegal recruitment practices. In recent months, reports have highlighted instances where African men were falsely recruited as bodyguards only to be found on the frontline of Ukraine’s conflict.

This situation has led some countries involved to express concern about their nationals’ safety and well-being in Russia. Meanwhile, Kenya is working with international partners and its own embassy in Moscow to address these issues and ensure that its citizens are not subjected to such exploitation. The Kenyan government plans a diplomatic visit by Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi to discuss the matter next month.

As Ukraine continues its military operations against Russian forces, the specter of further recruitment scandals looms large for countries like Kenya involved in the conflict’s periphery. Efforts must be made to prevent similar circumstances from arising and to safeguard its citizens’ rights and safety during such volatile international conflicts.