Families of Kenyans Recruited Into Russian Military Seek Ruto’s Intervention

More than 30 families of Kenyans recruited into Russia’s military have asked President William Ruto to intervene before Kenya’s upcoming engagements with Russian officials.

The families, who gathered in Nairobi, want the government to seek information from Moscow on relatives who are missing, facilitate the return of those who are alive and arrange the repatriation of Kenyans who have died so they can be buried at home. They are also seeking an urgent meeting with President Ruto before Kenyan representatives attend the Africa-Russia Summit. The families want the issue of Kenyan recruits to be raised directly with Russian authorities as part of Kenya’s diplomatic engagement with Moscow.

Several relatives said they lost contact with their loved ones after they travelled to Russia after being offered employment opportunities. Some have spent months without knowing whether their relatives are alive, injured, detained or missing.

One mother described the uncertainty surrounding her son’s disappearance, reflecting the situation faced by other families who have been unable to establish what happened to their relatives. The families said many Kenyans were recruited through promises of jobs before being deployed to areas linked to the war in Ukraine. They are calling for information on those who remain unaccounted for, assistance for those who have returned and efforts to prevent more Kenyans from being recruited under similar circumstances.

The scale of the recruitment has previously been raised in Parliament. Lawmakers were told that more than 1,000 Kenyans had allegedly been recruited into the Russian military through informal networks, rogue agencies and individual brokers.

Parliamentary briefings indicated that some recruits had been deployed to the front lines, while others were receiving treatment for injuries or had been assigned to military camps and support facilities. Some were also reported missing.

More recent government figures have provided a separate account of known recruits. Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu said 289 Kenyans had been recruited into Russian military service at various times. Only a portion of those recruits have returned to Kenya, while dozens have been confirmed dead or remain unaccounted for. The figures have increased calls for greater scrutiny of recruitment practices and the government’s efforts to assist affected citizens.

The issue has also been raised before parliamentary committees. Families appearing before Senate committees have asked the government to provide information on missing recruits and strengthen diplomatic efforts to establish their whereabouts. Relatives have also sought assistance for Kenyans who have managed to leave the conflict and return home.

The recruitment of Kenyans into the Russian military has raised concerns about the risks faced by citizens seeking employment abroad. Many of those affected are believed to have pursued recruitment opportunities after being offered jobs, highlighting the vulnerability of people seeking better economic prospects overseas.

With President Ruto expected to engage Russian officials, the affected families want the fate of Kenyan recruits to form part of the discussions. They are seeking concrete information on missing relatives, the return of surviving recruits and the repatriation of those who have died.