In recent months, many Kenyans have fallen victim to a growing trend of being deceived into joining the Russia-Ukraine war.
These individuals are often promised well-paying operational jobs such as driving, cooking, or technical support, only to find themselves forced into military roles once they arrive in Russia.
One such victim is Joshua (not his real name), a trained ICT expert, who travelled to Russia in September 2025 with high hopes of finding better job opportunities.
However, his dream quickly turned into a nightmare. Upon landing in Russia, he was given a contract to sign — one that shockingly differed from what he had been promised in Kenya.
“We were told we would work inside military camps, but not as soldiers. They said we would serve as subordinates, doing jobs like driving, cooking, or offering technical support,” Joshua explained during an interview with NTV Kenya.
But it soon became clear that there were no such jobs waiting for them. Instead, Joshua and several other Kenyans realized they were being recruited to fight at the war frontlines. None of them had military training, and many had never even handled a gun.
The situation quickly turned frightening when Russian authorities confiscated their phones and passports, leaving them stranded and unable to communicate with anyone back home.
Joshua recalled the fear and confusion that overwhelmed him as he waited to be deployed. “I was supposed to be sent to the battlefield in my second week, but some delays happened. That gave us a small window to reach out to the Kenyan embassy and plan our escape,” he said.
With the help of the Kenyan embassy in Russia, Joshua and three of his colleagues finally managed to flee the camp. On September 22, they safely returned home to Kenya — a moment Joshua described as a miracle.
The ordeal exposed a disturbing recruitment network that targets desperate Kenyan job seekers. Many of these victims are flown to Russia using tourist visas, making it difficult for Kenyan authorities to trace them once they disappear.
Joshua revealed that he had paid KSh 60,000 to a local recruitment agency for visa processing, only to later discover that the Russian side had actually covered all the expenses.
Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has since confirmed awareness of a trafficking syndicate operating between Kenya and Russia.
The ministry revealed that around 29 Kenyans are currently being held involuntarily at a Wagner Military base in Belgorod, located several kilometres from Moscow. “We are in communication with the Russian embassy in Kenya to address the matter and secure the release of our citizens,” a ministry official stated.
Meanwhile, more cases continue to surface across the country. In another heartbreaking incident, a family from Busia County is still searching for their son, Oscar Agola Ojiambo, a former KDF soldier who disappeared after travelling to Russia for a supposed job opportunity.
According to his father, they last spoke in June, when Oscar informed them that he had arrived in Russia and was about to be deployed to the war zone.
These incidents highlight the growing concern over human trafficking rings exploiting unemployed Kenyans with false promises of well-paying jobs abroad. Many victims end up trapped in foreign war zones, facing life-threatening conditions and emotional trauma.
Authorities have urged Kenyans to be extremely cautious when dealing with recruitment agencies offering overseas job opportunities, especially those involving countries currently in conflict.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to work with embassies and international partners to bring more victims home safely and to dismantle the networks behind this disturbing operation.
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