Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi said 44 Kenyans have been repatriated so far, while 11 are reported dead or missing…reports Asian Lite News
Kenyan citizens recruited to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine will be granted amnesty upon returning home, Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi has said, according to the BBC.
The move follows Mudavadi’s recent visit to Moscow, where officials agreed to halt further recruitment of Kenyans. Under Kenyan law, joining a foreign military is illegal and punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
The foreign ministry estimates that 252 Kenyans were illegally recruited over the past six months, often lured by promises of well paid civilian jobs before being pushed into combat roles after signing Russian language contracts they did not fully understand.
Mudavadi said 44 Kenyans have been repatriated so far, while 11 are reported dead or missing. Another 38 remain in Russian hospitals with restricted access, and about 160 are still on the front line.
He added that an agreement had been reached to allow those unwilling to continue fighting to disengage and return home. Moscow has also placed Kenya on a “stop list” to prevent further recruitment, though Russia maintains that foreign fighters joined voluntarily and in line with its laws.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that over 1,400 people from 36 African countries are reportedly fighting for Russia in its war against Ukraine, urging governments to caution their citizens against joining a conflict where they are “quickly killed”.
Sybiha accused Moscow of luring Africans into joining the war through military contracts that were “equivalent to … a death sentence”. He wrote on X, “Foreign citizens in the Russian army have a sad fate. Most of them are immediately sent to the so-called ‘meat assaults’, where they are quickly killed.”
“Most mercenaries do not survive more than a month,” he added.
According to Sybiha, Russia recruits nationals from African countries using multiple methods. “Some are offered money, while others are duped and do not realise what they are signing up for or are forced to do so under duress. Signing a contract is equivalent to signing a death sentence,” he said.
Several African governments have acknowledged cases of their citizens joining Russian forces. South Africa said it is investigating 17 of its nationals after the men sought help to return home, reportedly trapped in the Donbas region. President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that the men, aged between 20 and 39, were lured with the promise of lucrative employment contracts, according to Al Jazeera.
A spokesperson for Ramaphosa added it was not yet confirmed which side the men were fighting for, though Russia has faced accusations of recruiting foreign fighters under the pretext of employment opportunities. Russia has also reportedly targeted women from South Africa and other African nations, promising jobs in catering and hospitality to lure them into working at Russian drone factories, Al Jazeera reported.
Kenya last month confirmed that some of its citizens had been detained in Russian military camps after unknowingly being drawn into the conflict. In a social media post, Kenyan President William Ruto said he had spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding “young Kenyans who have been illegally recruited to fight in the war in Ukraine” and both leaders agreed to “raise awareness of the dangers of such ventures”. Ruto also asked Zelenskyy to “facilitate the release of any Kenyan in Ukrainian custody” and expressed gratitude for his agreement.
Sybiha warned that the actual number of African recruits may exceed the 1,436 identified so far. He added that most foreign fighters captured by Ukraine were taken during their first combat mission, and Kyiv plans to release more details about the origins of the prisoners.
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly accused Russia of augmenting its forces by enlisting fighters from abroad, often through deceptive tactics. In August, Zelenskyy said Russian troops near Vovchansk in Kharkiv included mercenaries from China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and several African countries, citing Ukrainian frontline reports.
China dismissed these claims as “irresponsible remarks,” while Pakistan called them “baseless and unfounded.” The Kyiv Independent reported that several hundred Chinese nationals have fought for Russia, and in April, some Chinese fighters were captured by Ukrainian troops. Zelenskyy also highlighted recruitment videos circulated through Chinese social media.
In October, the Kyiv Independent reported the capture of a 22-year-old national who joined Russian forces to avoid a seven-year prison sentence for drug charges. Many foreign recruits are promised high salaries, Russian citizenship, or non-combat roles but are sent directly to battle.
Ukraine believes the largest contingent of foreign fighters in Russia’s ranks may be from Cuba, estimating that up to 20,000 Cubans have been recruited as mercenaries, Al Jazeera reported.
