A diplomatic agreement between Kenya and Russia has brought an end to the recruitment of Kenyan citizens into the Russian military, with the government now turning its attention to helping those already caught up in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu said the agreement was reached after Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi travelled to Moscow earlier this year for discussions with Russian officials. She said the talks focused on stopping further recruitment of Kenyans and finding ways to support those already serving.
Speaking on Radio Generation on Wednesday, Njogu said the agreement has already delivered results, adding that no Kenyan has been recruited into Russia's "special military operations" since the two governments reached the understanding.
"We negotiated with their Foreign Ministry, and our minister got the assurances of their foreign minister that they would put Kenya on the stop list. This means stop recruiting Kenyans into your special military operations, and Kenyans have not been recruited since that date," Njogu said.
In March 2026, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov agreed to end the recruitment of Kenyan citizens into Russia’s military through official defence channels.
The two governments also resolved that any Kenyans found to be serving in military camps against their will would be handed over to Kenya’s Embassy in Moscow for immediate repatriation.
The PS further said government records show that 289 Kenyans have at one point been enlisted into the Russian military.
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Out of that number, 64 have returned home, while 69 have either died or are missing in action, according to information provided by the Russian government. Others are still deployed on the battlefield, remain in military camps or their exact locations have not yet been confirmed.
Njogu said with fresh recruitment now stopped, the government's efforts are centred on assisting Kenyans who are still affected by the conflict.
"We now just have the already recruited groups to deal with," she said.
She, however, noted that bringing those still in active combat back home is not a simple process because Kenya is not involved in the war.
"We cannot parachute into an armed conflict, lift Kenyans and bring them back home. What we can do is, once people have extracted themselves or have been extracted from that, then we are able to facilitate their exit," she explained.
The PS also reminded Kenyans that the law does not allow citizens to join a foreign military without approval from the President.
"It is illegal for a Kenyan to enlist themselves in a foreign army without the clearance of the President," she said.
Njogu said many of those who ended up in the Russian military did so after using unofficial recruitment channels instead of the government's approved labour migration system.
She added that the government has granted amnesty to those returning from the conflict and will continue supporting them as they reintegrate.
The PS further revealed that officials recently met about 90 families whose relatives have been reported dead, missing or are still serving in Russia. The meeting provided updates on ongoing diplomatic efforts and the status of their loved ones.
She urged Kenyans planning to work abroad to use licensed recruitment agencies and official government channels, warning that irregular migration leaves many vulnerable to exploitation, human trafficking and recruitment into armed conflicts.