The Kenyan government has announced that Russia has agreed to halt the recruitment of Kenyan nationals to fight in the ongoing war in Ukraine following diplomatic discussions held in Moscow.
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, disclosed the development during a meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov. According to Mudavadi, both countries reached an understanding that Kenyan citizens would no longer be eligible to enlist through the Russian Ministry of Defence.
Speaking after the meeting, Mudavadi said the agreement was part of efforts to address growing concerns in Kenya over the involvement of its citizens in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
However, Lavrov did not publicly comment on the reported agreement. He maintained that all foreign fighters serving with Russian forces had joined voluntarily and in accordance with Russian law.
Earlier intelligence reports from Kenyan authorities had raised alarm that more than 1,000 Kenyan citizens may have been recruited to participate in the war. Some of the recruits reportedly travelled abroad after being promised well-paid civilian jobs, only to discover they had been enlisted to fight on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Mudavadi also stated that the Kenyan government is currently working to secure the return of citizens who wish to leave the conflict zone. According to him, authorities have already repatriated 27 Kenyans who had been fighting alongside Russian forces.
