More than 200 Kenyan citizens are fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, the government said on Thursday, warning that recruitment networks targeting Kenyans with false job offers remain active.
Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi said in a statement posted on the ministry’s website that reports indicate “over 200 Kenyans may have joined the Russian army, including some former members of Kenya’s security services.”
Ukraine announced last week that about 1,400 nationals from some 30 African countries were fighting for Russia, saying many had been recruited through deceptive means.
Mudavadi called the situation “deeply concerning” and urged citizens to be cautious of overseas job offers that appear unrealistic or excessively lucrative.
Kenyan President William Ruto held a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week to seek the release of Kenyan nationals reportedly detained in conflict zones, the government said.
South Africa’s presidency said on Nov. 6 that diplomatic efforts were under way to repatriate 17 of its citizens who were recruited to fight as mercenaries in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region after being promised high salaries.
The reports have raised alarm across Africa about the recruitment of young people into the war in Ukraine, driven by economic hardship and misinformation, with governments warning of potential long-term social and security risks.
