Kenyan police have arrested Russian diplomat Mikhail Lyapin and a local aide, Edward Kamau Gitaku, for allegedly recruiting men to fight as mercenaries in Ukraine.
Lyapin, who worked under diplomatic cover at the Russian embassy, promised lucrative jobs to Kenyan nationals, who were then pressured into signing contracts with the Russian military and deployed to the front lines.
Gitaku is believed to have helped funnel recruits to the Russian armed forces.
Authorities said Lyapin attempted to flee the country but was caught before leaving.
This incident follows a similar case of Kibet Evans, a Kenyan man captured by Ukrainian forces earlier this year who claimed he was coerced into joining the Russian military.
The Ukrainian project “I Want to Live” has documented over 10,000 foreign mercenaries recruited by Russian networks since spring.
