NAIROBI, Kenya – The government has secured the rescue and repatriation of 27 Kenyan nationals who were stranded in the Russian Federation after being illegally recruited to fight in the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi has said.
Mudavadi confirmed that the returnees reached home following swift diplomatic and consular action coordinated by Kenya’s mission in Moscow.
He said the majority had been misled by recruitment networks linked to the Russian military, often with false promises of “civilian jobs” that turned into frontline deployment.
He revealed plans for him to visit Moscow later in March to engage directly with Russian officials on the matter.
Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi to visit Russia in March, confirms rescue and repatriation of 27 Kenyans away from conflict zone
Rising Kenyan Casualties in Conflict
The government’s rescue operation comes amid mounting reports of Kenyan nationals killed in the war zone.
Ukrainian Defence Intelligence has confirmed that several Kenyans, such as Denis Bagaka, Simon Gititu and Clinton Nyapara Mogesa, were killed in the Donetsk region after being deployed to combat operations, raising concerns about the scale of Kenyan engagement and deaths in the conflict.
In Mukurweini County, families of deceased Kenyans have staged symbolic funerals for loved ones whose bodies remain unrecovered, highlighting gaps in official repatriation and mounting grief among affected communities.
Government’s Response and Diplomatic Push
Mudavadi has described the recruitment and deaths of Kenyan citizens as a humanitarian and diplomatic crisis that Kenya must address through dialogue with Moscow.
He said his planned visit seeks to both curb illegal recruitment and explore structured labour agreements that exclude conscription to conflict.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry has also launched psychosocial support and reintegration programmes for the returnees, aiming to help them recover from trauma and adapt safely back into society.
Illegal Recruitment and Government Crackdown
Kenyan authorities say they have shut down more than 600 fraudulent recruitment agencies suspected of luring youth abroad under false pretexts, including to Russia, only for many to end up in highly dangerous circumstances or in conflict-related roles.
Despite these efforts, families and rights groups have called for more transparency and urgent action to locate other missing Kenyans believed to be caught up in the conflict, as well as clearer numbers on casualties and prisoners of war held by Ukrainian authorities.
Kenya’s diplomatic engagement reflects broader concerns among African states about covert recruitment practices and the protection of citizens abroad, particularly in conflict scenarios where formal oversight is limited.
