Kenya says more than 200 of its nationals are fighting for Russia in Ukraine, with recruitment networks still operating in both Africa and Russia, according to a statement issued on 12 November by Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as reported by Reuters.

The announcement followed a statement from Ukraine last week claiming that over 1,400 citizens from three dozen African countries are currently fighting on Russia’s side. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andriy Sybiha, described the contracts offered to African recruits as “equivalent to ... a death sentence,” and called on African governments to warn their citizens.

Nairobi confirms citizens misled into joining war

The Kenyan Foreign Ministry said its citizens are being recruited into Moscow’s war effort through networks active both in Russia and in Kenya, Reuters reported. According to the statement, “over two hundred Kenyans may have joined the Russian military,” with officials warning that recruitment activities are still ongoing.

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The Ministry added that its embassy in Moscow had recorded injuries among some of the Kenyan recruits. Those injured had allegedly been promised up to $18,000, covering visa costs, travel, and accommodation. But instead of receiving non-combat roles, they were deployed to the battlefield.

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21 rescued in Kenyan raid tied to recruitment ring

Kenyan security services conducted a raid near Nairobi in September that resulted in the rescue of 21 citizens who, according to the foreign ministry, were being prepared for deployment to Ukraine. The ministry said the individuals had been deceived about the nature of their roles.

Moscow does not plan to slow its aggression against Ukraine. On the contrary, it is taking steps to accelerate mobilization. According to a new law, Russia will no longer have breaks between conscription campaigns, UNIAN reports. 

Under the new legislation, the selection process and medical examinations for future soldiers will now run year-round. 

Mobilization without interruptions

According to the document, military enlistment offices now have the right to conduct medical examinations, psychological testing, and draft board meetings continuously, from 1 January to 31 December.

At the same time, conscripts will be sent to their service locations twice a year: in spring (1 April to 15 July) and fall (1 October to 31 December).

The changes may indicate preparation for a larger-scale mobilization, as continuous work of the enlistment offices simplifies tracking citizens and allows the army to be replenished more quickly.

Continuous conscription allows the Kremlin to control the flow of new soldiers and strengthen its military presence on the front. For Ukraine, this is a signal that Russian aggression may last longer, and offensive operations could become more extensive.

The Kenyan government said Monday that Russian agents used deceptive methods, including falsified information, to lure Kenyan citizens into military service in Ukraine. Some victims unknowingly found themselves in Russian military operations after being promised legitimate jobs.

The Kenyan case reflects a wider pattern of Russian recruitment targeting foreign nationals. Similar schemes have reportedly involved recruits from more than 20 countries, with some forced into military service under coercion.

Kenya has engaged the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and reached an agreement for citizens held without their consent to be released to Kenya’s mission in Moscow. Several nationals have already been rescued, with emergency travel documents issued to facilitate their safe return home. 

The mission is working to establish the total number of Kenyans detained in military camps and to assist those who manage to leave voluntarily.

The government said agents masquerade as Russian officials and urged immigration and security agencies to strengthen vigilance at border points, particularly airports, to prevent further recruitment. 

“Kenya expressed its concern that its young citizens continue to be lured by such corrupt and ruthless agents to travel to Russia and unknowingly find themselves in the Russian military operation,” the statement from the Kenyan Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Ministry of Foreign & Diaspora Affairs reads.

The office said Kenya remains committed to strengthening bilateral relations with Russia, including negotiating a Bilateral Labour Agreement to provide legitimate employment opportunities for its citizens abroad.

Russian recruitment network promises fake jobs

The announcement follows a September intelligence-led operation in Nairobi, where police rescued 22 Kenyans awaiting processing to Russia. 

Authorities arrested Edward Kamau Gituku, accused of coordinating the recruitment, and seized materials showing victims had signed agreements to pay between $13,000 and $18,000 for visas, travel, and accommodation. 

His defense team claimed the company had already facilitated the travel of more than 1,000 Kenyans to Russia, according to local media reports.

Ukrainian forces captured Kenyan athlete Evans Kibet in September after he fought alongside Russian troops in Kharkiv Oblast. Kibet said a sports agent offered him a tourist trip to Saint Petersburg before pressuring him to sign documents in Russian that turned out to be military contracts. 

"I didn't know it was a military job. He told me to sign and took my passport and phone, and that is how everything went wrong," Kibet said in a video interview with Ukrainian forces. When he tried to refuse military service, recruiters told him he would either fight or be killed. 

Russia has recruited citizens from at least 21 countries - from Nepal to Cuba - through similar deceptive schemes, with BBC confirming 523 foreign mercenaries from 28 countries killed since the invasion began.

Just two days ago, Russian soldiers committed a severe war crime, killing three civilians near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast. Now the Russian command is attempting to extend this practice to foreign nationals fighting for Moscow, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence reveals. 

Ukraine has recorded a war crime committed by Colombian mercenaries fighting against Ukraine as part of the 30th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade, which belongs to the 2nd Combined Arms Army of Russia’s Central Military District.

In an intercepted conversation, one of the field commanders issues an order in Spanish to execute Ukrainian civilians, including women and children. 

A silent order for blood on foreign soil

The same recording contains a shocking demand from an accomplice of the Russian occupiers: “When there is fog, mist, so they are not identified, let them eliminate all people on the enemy side. On motorcycles, on bicycles, women and children, women and children.”

People bury their neighbours in yards, as evacuation is not possible 

Since April 2025, civilians in Pokrovsk have been burying the dead directly in the courtyards of residential buildings, as it is impossible to transport bodies to the cemetery. Russian forces are advancing on the city from multiple directions and shell it daily. Despite this, more than a thousand residents remain in Pokrovsk, Bakhmut reports. 

According to regional authorities, evacuation from the city is nearly impossible. Those who stay in the city face extreme danger moving through the streets, as Russian troops may be present.

The exact number of casualties is unknown. Russian commanders continue to issue orders to kill civilians attempting to flee the combat zone.

Russia is seeking to involve Laos in its war against Ukraine under the pretense of humanitarian cooperation, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) claimed on July 5.

According to the agency, Moscow is organizing the deployment of a combined unit of military engineers from the Lao People's Armed Forces to Russia's Kursk Oblast, allegedly to help with demining operations.

Ukraine initially captured 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian territory during a cross-border offensive to Kursk Oblast but lost most of it during a Russian counteroffensive this year, which was supported by North Korean troops.

Laotian authorities have reportedly agreed to send up to 50 engineers to support Russian efforts. In addition, Laos is said to be offering free rehabilitation services to wounded Russian soldiers.

"Russia, under the guise of humanitarian rhetoric, is trying to legalize the presence of foreign military contingents on its territory, effectively using them to wage war against Ukraine," HUR said.

This comes amid broader efforts by the Kremlin to recruit foreign personnel. Russia has drawn heavily on fighters from Asia and Africa, as well as North Korea.

Ukraine has captured multiple foreigners fighting for Russian forces. an April investigation by Russian independent outlet Important Stories identified more than 1,500 foreign fighters from 48 countries who had joined Russia's war.

Laos, a landlocked Southeast Asian country bordering China, Vietnam, and Thailand, has not commented on HUR's claim. The country maintains close ties with both Moscow and its ally Beijing.