At least 84 Kenyans involved in the Russia-Ukraine war are listed as killed or missing in action, while 77 others remain at the frontline, according to a government update submitted to Parliament.
The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs said it has records of 354 Kenyan nationals involved in the conflict, with their status ranging from those serving at the frontline to those who have returned home.
The figures are contained in a response by Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi to a parliamentary petition on the recruitment of Kenyans into the Russian army and the detention of Kenyans in Ukraine.
Of the 354 Kenyans recorded by the government, 77 are currently listed as being at the frontline, while 84 are classified as “Killed or Missing in Action (KIA/MIA).”
Another 38 Kenyans are listed as being in camps, while 52 have an unknown or unclassified location.
The government also records 34 Kenyans as hospitalised, 62 as having been repatriated, five as prisoners of war, one as detained and another one as having completed a military contract.
The figures provide the latest government account of Kenyans caught up in the conflict, amid continued efforts to establish the whereabouts and fate of nationals who travelled to Russia.
The Ministry said families often approach the State Department for Diaspora Affairs after communication with their relatives has been disrupted or has ceased.
“We encourage families to engage the Department as soon as possible,” the government said.
Upon receiving a report from a family, the department obtains identification details of the affected Kenyan, including information on when they travelled and contacts of their next of kin. The case is then escalated to the Kenyan Embassy in Moscow for verification.
The government said it has also been engaging Russian authorities over the welfare of Kenyans involved in the conflict.
During Mudavadi’s official visit to Moscow in March 2026, Kenya secured inclusion on Russia’s “Stop List”, which the government said effectively prevented further enlistment of Kenyan nationals in the Russian military operation.
“The Embassy of Kenya in Moscow has since confirmed that no additional Kenyan nationals have been enlisted in the Special Military Operation following the implementation of the Stop List,” the statement said.
Russian authorities have also advised that requests to terminate military contracts are considered on a case-by-case basis by individual military unit commanders.
The government said it continues to pursue the welfare of Kenyans affected by the conflict while working with their families and diplomatic missions.
It also said it has facilitated the repatriation of 62 Kenyans who had been involved in the Russian military operation, enabling them to return safely to Kenya.
The State Department has further provided affected families with official updates received through diplomatic channels, information on compensation processes and psychosocial support.
It has also helped families provide next-of-kin details and supporting documentation, as well as communicate consent for cremation or other forms of interment.
The government said it would continue engaging Russian authorities and affected families on the welfare of Kenyans caught up in the conflict, while strengthening measures to protect citizens from deceptive recruitment and irregular migration.