Kenyan minister raises Russia’s recruitment of troops for Ukraine war

Kenya’s foreign minister on Monday expressed his concern about Russia’s recruitment of Kenyan nationals to fight in its war against Ukraine, the Russian TASS news agency reported.

Musalia Mudavadi made the complaint in a meeting in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, TASS reported.

Ahead of the trip, Mudavadi’s office said discussions would seek to “address concerns surrounding Kenyans who may have been voluntarily or involuntarily enlisted in the Russian military.”

He said the Kenyan government would step up efforts to combat misleading recruitment and false job promises.

Lavrov, however, played down the issue.

“All citizens of Kenya, as well as those of other states, are participating in the special military operation voluntarily and in full compliance with Russian law,” he said, using Moscow’s term for the war in Ukraine.

He added that Russian law also provides for the early termination of contracts.

More than 1,000 Kenyans lured to Russia

According to figures recently presented in parliament in Nairobi, around 1,000 Kenyans have so far been lured to Russia with job offers. Many then found themselves recruited into the military and sent to war in Ukraine.

Kiev claims to have taken prisoners of war from Kenya and other African countries, though no exact figure has been given.