Kenyans currently serving in the Russian military will not be repatriated until they officially terminate their service contracts, following bilateral talks between Kenya and Russia.
Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Monday, March 16, to discuss the status of Kenyan citizens recruited into Russia’s military.
Lavrov emphasized that those enlisted joined voluntarily and that their contracts, which contain no provision for repatriation, are managed under the Russian Ministry of Defence.
“All Kenyans, as well as other nationals who signed contracts, did it voluntarily. The contracts did not have any provision for repatriation. When the contracts are active, they can terminate them under the Ministry of Defence,” Lavrov stated.
Mudavadi said Kenya is handling the matter diplomatically, noting that some Kenyans did not disclose their intentions before enlisting, which is against Kenyan law.
The two sides also agreed that no further Kenyans will be recruited into the Russian armed forces. Mudavadi added that consular assistance will be provided for Kenyans currently hospitalized in Russia.
“Consular services will be arranged for Kenyans who are in hospital so that they can receive support according to the law,” Mudavadi said.
The visit comes after reports that dozens of Kenyans had been recruited under misleading job offers to fight in the Russia–Ukraine war, with some having died on the battlefield and others stranded in Russia.
Mudavadi stressed that Kenya’s diplomatic relations with Russia are broader than the war, encompassing education, agriculture, labour mobility, infrastructure, and energy, and that the government is working to resolve family concerns while ensuring no further enlistments occur.
“We have now found common ground to ensure no further enlisting,” he said.
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