Thursday, April 02,
2026 - Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has lifted the lid on the
tactics Kenyans are using to enlist in the Russian military, complicating
efforts by the Government to track and repatriate them.
Appearing before the Senate Committee on National Security,
Defence and Foreign Relations on Thursday, April 2nd, Mudavadi
explained that many recruits are transiting through third-party countries,
particularly in the Middle East, before heading to Russia.
“Some of these people did not leave directly from Kenya.”
“They were moving through third-party countries.”
“So you would find that some had regular security jobs in
the Middle East.”
“Then from the Middle East, they moved directly to Russia,”
Mudavadi stated.
He added that altered documentation and tourist visas make
tracking difficult.
“Some of them may have gone as tourists using tourist visas
and engage in other matters.”
Mudavadi confirmed that investigations are ongoing, with two
suspects already arrested for running a fake recruitment agency.
He revealed that at least 16 Kenyans are missing in action,
47 have been safely repatriated, two are prisoners of war in Ukraine, and over
38 are hospitalised under restricted access.
According to the Ministry’s figures, 252 Kenyans are
confirmed to have joined the Russian military, though Mudavadi warned that the
actual number could exceed 1,000.
His remarks come amid the rising death toll in the Ukraine
war and after meetings with Russian authorities where both sides agreed to halt
recruitment of Kenyans.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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