An intelligence assessment submitted to Kenya’s parliament claims that over 1,000 Kenyans have enlisted in the Russian army’s military in Ukraine, with the majority having been duped into signing military contracts.
Russia has lured men from African nations with promises of high-paying professions, only to coerce them into fighting on the front lines in Ukraine, according to many media investigations, including one by AFP earlier this month.
The number of recruits from Kenya was reported to be “over 1,000” in a joint investigation by the country’s National Intelligence Service and Directorate of Criminal Investigations, which was presented in parliament on Tuesday. This figure is far higher than the “around 200” reported by authorities in December.
The majority leader of the house, Kimani Ichung’wah, informed MPs, “Kenyans leave the country on tourist visas to join the Russian army through Istanbul, Turkey, as well as Abu Dhabi, UAE.”
However, he claimed that because of tighter border controls at Nairobi’s airport, recruiters were now fleeing to neighboring African nations in order to evade discovery.
Unlicensed employment agencies in Kenya, according to Ichung’wah, were “colluding with rogue airport staff.”
According to him, 89 Kenyans were on the front lines, 28 were lost in action, and at least 39 were in hospitals.
Kenya’s government has denounced the use of its citizens “as cannon fodder,” and its foreign minister, Musalia Mudavadi, is scheduled to travel to Moscow next month to discuss the matter.
Other African nations that have been singled out for recruiting as Russia suffers significant losses in Ukraine include South Africa and Uganda.
