Kenya's Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi announced that an agreement has been reached with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whereby Kenyan citizens will no longer be recruited through Russia's Defense Ministry to participate in the special military operation against Ukraine. This was reported by the TASS news agency.
In his statement, Mudavadi emphasized that the discussion with Lavrov covered the issue of Kenyans in Russia, including those involved in the special military operation. He stated: “We agreed that Kenyans will no longer be recruited into the armed forces through the Defense Ministry. Kenyans will no longer be recruited for the special military operation.”
The Kenyan minister added that the government will provide all necessary assistance to citizens who participated in the war in Ukraine and are currently receiving treatment in Russia. This indicates the Kenyan government's concern over its citizens' involvement in hazardous military activities.
As recalled by DW publication, prior to his visit to Moscow, Mudavadi had noted that there are citizens of his country in the Russian armed forces, who ended up there “voluntarily or forcibly.” In February, Kenya's National Intelligence Service reported that over a thousand Kenyans had been recruited into the Russian army to take part in the war against Ukraine.
According to intelligence data, at the beginning of 2026, 89 Kenyan citizens were on the front lines, with some having gone to war in response to false job advertisements. This situation highlights the risks of Kenyans being drawn into international conflicts due to economic hardships and deceptive recruitment practices.
It is noted that citizens of Uzbekistan have also been observed participating in this war. According to the “I Want to Live” project, at the end of October 2025, the identities of another 481 Uzbek citizens killed in battles against Ukraine on Russia's side were identified. Since 2023, the project has recorded the names of 2,715 Uzbeks who have participated or are participating in the war, suggesting that Uzbekistan's measures to address war-related risks are insufficient.
Source: www.gazeta.uz