The families of Kenyans drawn into Russia’s military ranks are urgently calling on their government to intervene and bring their loved ones home. On Thursday, relatives of 35 recruits gathered in Nairobi, holding placards with photos of their sons and messages like “Bring our son back,” demanding answers and action.
Investigations, including a recent report by AFP, reveal that Russia has lured men from African countries with promises of well-paying civilian jobs, only to pressure them into combat in Ukraine. According to a recent intelligence report presented to Kenya’s parliament, over 1,000 Kenyans have joined Russian forces. While some are former soldiers seeking mercenary work, many appear to have been deceived by rogue recruitment agencies allegedly working with Russian authorities.
Families say contact with the recruits has been minimal. Winnie Rose Wambui, whose brother Samuel Maina traveled to Russia expecting a security guard job at a mall, shared that the last message from him was a distress voice note sent on October 31 from a forest, asking the family to pray. Since then, there has been no word. “The ministry of foreign affairs is not helping us,” Wambui said, adding that officials directed them to the Kenyan embassy in Moscow.
The Russian embassy has denied the claims, posting on X that the allegations are part of a “dangerous and misleading propaganda campaign.”
Parliamentary leaders, however, insist the problem is widespread. Kimani Ichung’wah, Kenya’s parliament majority leader, explained that rogue agencies are targeting ex-military and ex-police officers, as well as civilians desperate for work abroad. He revealed that some recruits leave through other African countries to evade detection, with alleged collusion from airport staff and immigration officials.
Current figures from the intelligence report show at least 39 Kenyans hospitalized, 28 missing in action, and 89 actively on the front line. Families hope for information—dead, alive, or injured—so they can at least find closure, while the broader issue raises urgent questions about the safety of Kenyan citizens abroad.
This situation underscores the growing risks faced by vulnerable job seekers lured overseas and the urgent need for government action to protect its citizens.
