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Kenya Accuses Russia of Luring Citizens to Ukraine War, Shutters Agencies and Plans Moscow Push

Testimonies describe fake job offers leading to coerced contracts then frontline deployment.

Overview

  • Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi condemned the practice as unacceptable and said Kenya has closed more than 600 suspect recruitment agencies.
  • Authorities estimate roughly 200 Kenyans were drawn into fighting for Russia, with 27 brought home and offered psychological support.
  • Mudavadi plans to travel to Moscow next month to press for a ban on recruiting Kenyans and to seek the release of citizens detained in Ukraine.
  • Accounts gathered by rights groups and AFP describe passport confiscations, forced Russian‑language army contracts, and subsequent injuries and deaths at the front.
  • South Africa reports nationals trapped in comparable schemes, and President Cyril Ramaphosa discussed facilitating their return with Vladimir Putin, underscoring a wider regional concern.