Kenya says Russia agreed to stop recruiting its citizens – families of the missing are still waiting

Russia has agreed to stop recruiting Kenyan citizens into its military after talks in Moscow, Kenya’s foreign minister said, as concerns grow across Africa about deceptive recruitment linked to the war against Ukraine, according to BBC News.

The discussions follow mounting pressure in Kenya over reports that over 1000 of its citizens were drawn into Russia’s war effort through deceptive recruitment schemes. Kenyan authorities say many recruits were promised civilian jobs abroad before finding themselves pressured into signing military contracts.

Kenya says it secured Moscow pledge on enlistment

Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi said the agreement was reached during meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Mudavadi said Kenyan nationals would no longer be allowed to enlist through Russia’s defense ministry.

“They will no longer be eligible to be enlisted,” Mudavadi said during the visit.

Kenyan intelligence has warned that more than 1,000 citizens may have been recruited into Russian forces, according to the BBC. Nairobi previously confirmed that many of those who traveled to Russia did so through unofficial channels and without realizing they would be sent to the front lines.

Lavrov did not publicly address the recruitment concerns during the meeting and maintained that foreigners fighting for Russia had joined voluntarily and in compliance with Russian law.

How the recruitment networks operated

Kenyan officials say recruiters often posed as employment agents or representatives of Russian government programs, offering overseas jobs before directing applicants into military service. Authorities have since shut down more than 600 recruitment agencies suspected of organizing the schemes.

The issue has sparked public anger in Kenya as families struggle to learn the fate of relatives believed to be fighting in Ukraine. In February, relatives of missing recruits protested outside parliament in Nairobi demanding government action and the return of their family members.

Families still searching for answers

The true number of Kenyans killed while fighting for Russia remains unclear. Relatives who approached the Russian embassy for information say they were unable to obtain details about their loved ones.

So far 27 Kenyan nationals who fought for Russia have been repatriated, Mudavadi said. Authorities say those returning are receiving psychological support and counseling after their experiences.

Kenya’s government has also been working with Ukrainian authorities to identify and return the bodies of citizens killed in the war.

A wider pattern across Africa

Russia has a documented history of recruiting foreign nationals as part of efforts to sustain its war effort in Ukraine. Ukrainian intelligence estimates that more than 1,700 fighters from 36 African countries have joined Russian forces since the invasion of Ukraine began.

The recruitment networks extend beyond Kenya. Ghana says more than 50 of its citizens have died after being lured into the conflict, while South Africa has opened an investigation into whether Russian-linked mercenary networks recruited its nationals.

Kenya keeps door open to Moscow on trade

Despite the dispute, Kenyan officials have emphasized they do not want the recruitment issue to dominate relations with Moscow. 

Mudavadi said his visit also aims to discuss broader economic cooperation and possible agreements allowing Kenyans access to the Russian labor market – without military enlistment.