Kenyan President William Ruto has reached out to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, requesting assistance in securing the release of Kenyan citizens who were illegally recruited by Russia to participate in combat operations on Ukrainian territory and are currently in custody. Ruto made this statement following a phone conversation with the Ukrainian leader.
This is reported by Kyiv24
“We expressed concern about young Kenyans who have been illegally recruited to participate in the war in Ukraine, and we agreed to raise awareness about the dangers of such ventures. I appealed to President Zelensky to facilitate the release of Kenyans who are in custody in Ukraine. I am grateful… for his response to my request”
Ukraine and Kenya Combat Recruitment of Foreigners for War
According to information from the Office of the President of Ukraine, Zelensky and Ruto discussed the issue of mass recruitment of foreign citizens by Russia for the war against Ukraine. Ukraine and Kenya declared their intention to enhance cooperation to counter such fraudulent methods aimed at involving foreigners in combat operations.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha confirmed that Ukraine is documenting the participation of citizens from African countries in the ranks of the Russian army. He stated that at this time, at least 1,436 foreigners from 36 African states have been identified as fighting on the side of Russia. However, as Sybiha emphasized, the actual number of such individuals may be significantly higher.
Recruitment Methods and the Fate of Foreigners in the Russian Army
The Russian Federation employs various methods to attract citizens from African countries: some are lured by financial promises, others are misled without clarifying the true nature of the contracts they sign, and psychological and administrative pressure is also applied. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, foreign soldiers within the Russian army are often sent on so-called “meat assaults,” resulting in many of them dying within the first few days on the front lines.
The government of the Republic of South Africa recently reported receiving a “distress signal” from 17 of its citizens who found themselves on the front lines in the war between Russia and Ukraine. At the same time, cases of recruitment of foreign citizens through fake job advertisements in Russia have been recorded in other countries as well. In particular, thousands of Nepalese have been drawn into the war in 2024, as well as up to five thousand Cubans who were lured with promises of lucrative jobs.
India has also repeatedly raised concerns about dozens of its citizens who have been forced to fight on the side of Russia. A similar situation is observed among foreign students who came to study in Russia: they were threatened with non-renewal of visas if they refused to sign contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense. The same tactics, according to reports from agencies, are being applied to African holders of work visas in Russia.