Nairobi — The Russian Embassy in Nairobi has denied allegations linking it to the recruitment of Kenyan citizens to fight in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, calling the reports a "dangerous and misleading propaganda campaign."
In a statement issued Thursday, the Embassy expressed "great concern" over what it described as a growing wave of misinformation in Kenya's media and public discourse regarding Kenyans who traveled to Russia, joined the Russian Armed Forces, and participated in combat operations.
"The Embassy refutes such allegations in the strongest possible terms," the statement said, rejecting claims of collusion with rogue recruitment networks or the issuance of visas to Kenyans intending to participate in the conflict.
The Embassy said the Russian government has never engaged in illegal recruitment of Kenyan citizens and has never issued visas for individuals declaring an intention to fight in the war.
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Furthermore, it denied encouraging or coercing Kenyans to participate in what Moscow refers to as the "Special Military Operation" (SMO) in Ukraine.
However, the statement acknowledged that Russian law permits foreign nationals legally residing in Russia to voluntarily enlist in its armed forces.
The Embassy added that such individuals may choose to fight alongside Russian troops, whom it described as combating "NATO-backed Ukrainian Nazism."
'Depoliticized dialogue'
The diplomatic mission said it was willing to engage in "constructive and depoliticized dialogue" with Kenyan authorities and called for the swift finalization of bilateral agreements on labor migration, travel arrangements, and security cooperation, which it said would help prevent misunderstandings and strengthen Russia-Kenya relations.
The Embassy's denial comes amid explosive findings by Kenya's National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), which recently uncovered what they described as a vast network facilitating the recruitment and trafficking of Kenyans to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Presenting the report to the National Assembly, Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah said that rogue officials within the Directorate of Immigration Services, the DCI, and the National Employment Authority enabled recruits to travel undetected through airports.
The report also implicated staff at diplomatic missions, including the Russian Embassy in Nairobi and Kenya's Embassy in Moscow, in issuing visas and facilitating movement of recruits.
"The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war continues to trigger the recruitment of foreign fighters by the Russian military through rogue recruitment agencies and individuals in Kenya," Ichung'wah told Parliament.
According to the report, more than 1,000 Kenyans may have been recruited, many lured by promises of high salaries, bonuses, and foreign citizenship.
Some were reportedly offered monthly pay of up to Sh350,000, with bonuses ranging from Sh900,000 to Sh1.2 million, only to find themselves deployed to combat zones after as little as three weeks of training.
Shock
Members of Parliament expressed shock and called for urgent action.
Taita Taveta Woman Representative Mizighi Haika Mnene said rogue recruitment agencies exploit Kenyans daily, while Baringo North MP Kipkoros Makilop described the revelations as "chilling," urging parents and communities to remain vigilant.
Mombasa Woman Representative Chimba Zamzam Mohamed warned that Kenyans should not be allowed to travel to countries at war, citing corruption among immigration officers and the urgent need to dismantle criminal recruitment networks.
The NIS-DCI report detailed grim outcomes for Kenyans caught in the scheme, with dozens reportedly hospitalized, missing, repatriated, or deployed to front-line combat, and at least one confirmed dead as of February 2026.
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Authorities have frozen bank accounts linked to suspects and recovered passports, contracts, and electronic devices as investigations continue.
The controversy has been further fueled by reports from Ukraine's Defence Intelligence identifying the bodies of several Kenyan nationals killed while fighting for Russian forces.
Ukrainian officials allege that some recruits were misled by fake job offers and deployed into high-risk combat roles with minimal training.
Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has urged jobseekers to verify overseas employment offers through licensed agencies and government portals, warning that rogue recruiters exploit desperation among unemployed youth.
