Kenyan intelligence has revealed the scale of the practice of recruiting citizens of the country to participate in the invasion of Ukraine. According to a report presented in parliament, over a thousand people were lured with promises of lucrative work and then sent to the front as 'cannon fodder.' Families of the missing are protesting in Nairobi, demanding government intervention and the repatriation of their loved ones, while the Russian embassy denies accusations of illegal conscription.

Mass Recruitment of Kenyans

An NIS intelligence report indicates 1,000 Kenyans were drawn into the Russian army under the pretext of paid employment.

Russian Corruption Network

Employees of the Russian embassy, corrupt officials, and human trafficking syndicates were involved in the practice.

Zaluzhnyi-Zelenskyy Conflict

Former commander Valerii Zaluzhnyi publicly criticized the strategy of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, revealing a dispute over the counteroffensive.

Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine

Massive attacks on energy infrastructure have led to a drastic drop in temperatures in the homes of Ukrainian civilians.

Kenya's National Intelligence Service presented a shocking report to parliament in Nairobi. It reveals that at least 1,000 Kenyans have ended up in Russian military structures. This number is five times higher than previous estimates. The recruitment system was based on cooperation between Russian diplomats, dishonest employment agencies, and organized criminal groups involved in human trafficking. The victims were often unemployed individuals, former police officers, and soldiers who were promised a monthly salary of 350,000 shillings (approx. $2,700). Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has been intensively seeking mercenaries in Global South countries to replenish personnel losses without having to announce full national mobilization.After arriving in Russia on tourist visas, recruits underwent only a few weeks of training and were sent to the front line in Donetsk. Families in the Kenyan capital have begun mass protests, demanding immediate diplomatic action from the administration of President William Ruto. Simultaneously, tensions are visible within Ukrainian command structures. The former commander-in-chief, now ambassador to London, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, gave an interview in which he openly criticized for the first time the political decisions of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding the 2023 counteroffensive. Zaluzhnyi pointed to a deep conflict of competencies that impacted the course of military operations. 1000 — Kenyans ended up in the Russian army The situation for civilians in Ukraine remains dire. Humanitarian organizations are warning about the systematic destruction of energy infrastructure by Russian aviation. In many apartments, temperatures have dropped to 5-7 degrees Celsius. Reports indicate that Russian tactics are now based on mass drone attacks – with about 4,400 recorded in January alone. Despite the aggressor's numerical advantage, the front remains relatively stable, and Russian advances in the Donetsk region are estimated at only 60 kilometers since the start of the conflict, which is considered a strategic failure of the Kremlin's plans.Number of Kenyan recruits according to estimates: Old estimates: 200, Intelligence report (February 2026): 1000, Active on the front: 89Recruitment scandal in Kenya: December 2025 — First reports; February 18, 2026 — Report presentation; February 19, 2026 — Protests in Nairobi; February 20, 2026 — Russia's response Situation on the Donetsk front: Territorial progress: 1600 km (1945) → 60 km (current); Drone attacks: 5100 (December) → 4400 (January)Russian diplomats collaborated with human traffickers to send our citizens to war under the guise of work.

Mentioned People

  • William Ruto — President of Kenya, from whom families of the recruits expect intervention.
  • Valerii Zaluzhnyi — Former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, currently ambassador to the United Kingdom.
  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy — President of Ukraine, criticized by Zaluzhnyi for command errors.
  • Kimani Ichung'wah — Majority Leader in the Kenyan Parliament, who presented the intelligence report.