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Ukrainian artillery fires towards the frontline during heavy fighting near Bakhmut, Ukraine, on April 13, 2025.
Investigations have established that some Kenyans currently fighting alongside Russian forces in the war against Ukraine were recruited through direct requests made to a local Kenyan company, with applicants recording video messages seeking placement as soldiers.
This came as Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, on Friday, said he is planning a visit to Russia as part of efforts to protect Kenyans caught up in the war.
Material reviewed by the Nation shows many of those who applied were former police officers and ex-soldiers, individuals who openly presented themselves as trained, disciplined and combat-ready, and asked to be linked to military work abroad.
Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau in Nairobi on January 29, 2026.
The findings complicate the widely held public narrative that Kenyans end up on the battlefields of Eastern Europe purely through deception.
Instead, evidence reviewed suggests that in some cases there is a deliberate and organised recruitment pathway, in which prior security training was marketed as a qualification.
In multiple video recordings, applicants are seen highlighting their firearms experience, operational background and readiness to deploy immediately, often acknowledging the risks involved in active combat.
According to Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, since 2022, recruitment in Russia has expanded to other Africa Nations.
“The Ministry has continued to receive inquiries from families regarding relatives allegedly involved in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine,” the Ministry said in an end-of-year report in December.
It states that over 200 Kenyans may have joined the Russian Military. On Friday, Mr Mudavadi said Kenya was finalising on discussions on Kenyans caught up in the war.
Errustus Kitti Nyale (38). His family says he was recruited into the Russian military after being promised a driver’s job.
“I will soon be making an official visit to Russia so we can engage their government and discuss these issues, so that Kenyans do not fall into traps,” Mr Mudavadi said in an interview with Western Kenya-based stations.
President William Ruto, he said, has also held talks with the Ukrainian government, particularly regarding Kenyans who were detained as prisoners of war in Ukraine.
“The President has engaged the Ukrainian authorities because there are Kenyans who were detained there. We are pursuing diplomatic means to ensure they are released and safely returned home,” Mr Mudavadi said.
In one such video that Nation has seen, Mwenda, an ex-military officer, clearly states his intentions. Nation won’t reveal the full names of those involved since the information was received in confidence with a request to protect the identity of the fighters.
“I am not a civilian but an ex-military. I want to join the Russian army and I understand the risk involved working for the army. I believe I am suitable for this job,” Mr Mwenda says, before requesting assistance to go to Russia.
We could not independently verify the claim that he is a former soldier despite documents in the video indicating this.
The video, which is in the possession of the Nation, shows no indication of coercion or deception at the point of application.
Another applicant, Njenga, who identifies himself as an ex-police officer, similarly recorded a request asking to be assisted to join the Russian army.
A Ukrainian serviceman fires a Bohdana self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops near Kostiantynivka town, Ukraine on November 29, 2025.
Seven others identified in recruitment material are all described in the videos and accompanying documents as former military officers.
The only purported ex-police officer captured on video, apart from Mr Njenga, is Ochieng, who also expresses willingness to enlist in the Russian military.
The identities of those coordinating the recruitment process locally remain unclear, but the implications are significant.
The job description is being a soldier in the army in the Ministry of Defence of Russia and the contract duration is one year. Once one is successfully recruited then they would be paid a one-time bonus of Sh1.6 million.
Others provided their details through WhatsApp. Qualifications for one to earn a job included; the age, one should be healthy, willing to work in the army.
