A joint investigation by Kenyan authorities reveals that over 1,000 Kenyans have been deceived into joining the Russian army for the war in Ukraine, a significantly higher number than previously reported.
A recent investigation by the National Intelligence Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Kenya has uncovered that more than 1,000 Kenyans have been recruited to fight in the war in Ukraine, a sharp increase from the approximately 200 reported by authorities last December. Kenyan nationals are reportedly leaving the country on tourist visas to join the Russian armed forces, primarily traveling through Istanbul, Turkey, and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. This alarming trend has prompted concerns among Kenyan lawmakers regarding the safety and exploitation of their citizens.
The situation has led to enhanced border control measures at Nairobi's airport to prevent further potential recruits from leaving. To evade detection by authorities, those being recruited are now utilizing various routes through other African nations before heading to their intended destinations. The gravity of the situation is highlighted by reports of at least 39 Kenyans currently hospitalized, 28 missing, and 89 already deployed to the front lines of the conflict.
In response to these troubling revelations, Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi is scheduled to visit Moscow next month to discuss the recruitment issue, which the government strongly condemns as a use of its citizens as "cannon fodder." Additionally, other African nations, such as Uganda and South Africa, are also implicated in Russia's recruitment efforts, raising broader concerns over regional safety and the tactics employed by foreign powers.
