Special services in Nairobi have revealed that over a thousand Kenyans have been recruited to fight in the Russian army under the guise of legitimate job offers. Simultaneously, Ukrainian security services dismantled a ten-member group of hired assassins who, on Moscow's orders, were planning to eliminate high-ranking officials and well-known public figures for a fee of up to $100,000 per victim.

Recruitment Mechanism in Africa

Russian officials, in cooperation with illegal recruitment agencies, recruited Kenyans by promising them employment and high wages, but actually sending them to the front lines.

Dismantling of Assassin Network

10 people were arrested in Ukraine and Moldova, who were planning murders for money from Russia. The targets were high-ranking officials and journalists.

Protests by Families in Nairobi

Relatives of 35 recruited men demonstrated in the Kenyan capital, demanding the government immediately repatriate their kin from the war zone.

Kenyan intelligence NIS presented a shocking report to parliament, indicating that 1,000 Kenyan citizens have joined the ranks of the Russian armed forces. This process occurred through a network of corrupt officials and employment agencies that lured former soldiers, police officers, and the unemployed with promises of lucrative jobs in Russia. Victims of the scheme often traveled on tourist visas via Istanbul or Abu Dhabi, and upon arrival were forced to participate in combat after only a few weeks of training. According to the report, at least 89 Kenyans are currently fighting on the front lines. Since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has been intensively recruiting mercenaries from the Global South, exploiting economic hardship in regions of Africa and Central Asia.Concurrently, an operation was conducted in Ukraine and Moldova against a sabotage group acting on behalf of Russian special services. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), together with Moldovan law enforcement, arrested a total of 10 suspects. This group was gathering information on the lifestyles and whereabouts of military intelligence representatives, journalists, and civil activists. For successfully carrying out an assassination, Russian special services offered the hired killers a reward of up to $100,000. This situation sheds new light on Moscow's methods of hybrid warfare, combining the exploitation of poverty in third countries with aggressive terrorism targeting Ukrainian elites. They were recruited by dishonest agencies under the pretext of employment and ended up as cannon fodder on the front lines.Previous estimates: 200, NIS Report (February 2026): 1,000, Active on the front: 89100,000 USD — bounty per officialScale of Recruitment and Threats: : → ; : → ; : →

Mentioned People

  • Kimani Ichung'wah — Majority Leader in the Kenyan Parliament, who presented the intelligence report on the recruitment of citizens by Russia.