Kiambu Man Survives Russian Military Trap, Tells of Battlefield Horror
Kiambu Man Survives Russian Military Trap, Tells of Battlefield Horror
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A man from Kiambu County says he was deceived into joining the Russian military after travelling to Moscow for what he believed was civilian work, and was later deployed to fight in Ukraine.
Dancan Chege has described how he left Kenya in November 2025 after being promised a job as a driver. In interviews and videos shared on TikTok, he says the offer was used to lure him and other Kenyans to Russia under false pretences.
According to Chege, he and ten other Kenyans were taken directly from Moscow to a military camp on arrival. He alleges they were pressured into signing contracts and subjected to intensive training involving firearms, tanks and drones. “I knew I was going to be a driver, but when we reached Moscow, things changed,” he said.
He claims the promised payment of Sh3 million was never paid. Within weeks, he says, they were sent to the frontlines in Ukraine. Chege alleges that all ten of the other Kenyans he travelled with were killed during fighting.
Chege says he survived by pretending to be mentally unwell, which led to his transfer to a military hospital. From there, he claims he fabricated a story that enabled him to leave military custody. He later contacted Kenya’s embassy in Moscow and returned to Kenya in January 2026.
He has spoken of severe psychological distress following his return. He says he witnessed large numbers of bodies on the battlefield, including African fighters, and continues to struggle with sleep and trauma linked to his experience.
Kenyan authorities say the case reflects a wider problem involving the recruitment of citizens into foreign military service through misleading job offers. Officials estimate that more than 200 Kenyans may have joined Russian forces, often believing they were accepting civilian employment abroad.
Families of missing Kenyans have appealed to the government to trace and repatriate relatives believed to be involved in the conflict. Parliament’s Defence and Foreign Relations Committee has summoned several recruitment agencies to explain their practices.
Out of 130 registered recruitment agencies, five have been flagged for investigation. Three licences have been suspended, while two agencies remain under inquiry. Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro told the BBC that some agencies had misled young people with promises of large payments.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei said 28 Kenyans had been repatriated since December 2025 with the assistance of Kenya’s mission in Moscow. He said the government does not support recruitment into either side of the war and is seeking the release of Kenyans held as prisoners of war.
Russian authorities, he added, have denied involvement in such recruitment schemes. The legal status of foreign nationals serving in the Russian military remains unclear.
Chege has urged Kenyans to be cautious about overseas job offers that promise unusually high pay. He said his survival was a matter of chance and warned others against taking similar risks.
