Revealed: How Kenyans are getting tricked into joining the Russian military

Recruitment for the Russian military has been happening in Kenya. Kenyans are lured with promises of fortune and steady employment, only to get to Russia and find a new reality — enrollment in the Russian military.

Citizen TV caught up with one of the few people who have managed to return from Russia and a family in Thika that awaits communication from a son who disappeared in Russia in July.

Eric Mogusu Obadiah introduced the victim, who we shall name Don for security purposes, to a recruitment agency known as Global Face Agencies. The pitch was simple: travel to Russia on a tourist visa, then choose a job of your liking.

“Nikitoka hapa nilitoka na tourist visa nikiambiwa nikifika huko natafutiwa kazi, nikaulizwa nimefanya course gani nikasema I’m a computer technologist na driver nikachagua kazi ya udriver. Mimi sijawahi kuwa mwanajeshi, na Russia nilipelekwa kwa ofisi ya wanajeshi kama hii ya Kenya inaitwa DOD but training mimi sikuingia. Kuna wale walishindwa kujilipia expenses ilibidi waende," said the victim.

Medical tests were arranged at two healthcare facilities, and the victim was declared fit to travel. Don was not alone; there were others, and they were housed in Kiserian from August 8th to17th.

They were then transferred to Great Wall along Mombasa Road. It is from here that they left the country via Turkey to Russia.

“Wakachukua passports zetu, wakascan vidole, wanakuscan uso. Kila mtu alichukuliwa na gari yake, mimi nilichukuliwa na Range Rover na driver coz tulikuwa watu kumi. Tukaenda around 15km from St. Petersburg airport. Hapo ndio tulifika kwa kanyumba ka mbao, hapo ndio tuliweka nguo zetu kwa drum na kupewa nguo za sweatpants," the victim added.

The jobs they had been promised were a façade. They were coerced into signing contracts — written in Russian — enlisting them as soldiers.

Don added: “Hapo sasa ndio wakatuingisha kwa ofisi ya wanajeshi, wakanipea document ya 50 pages imeandikwa na Ki-Russia nisign, wengine wakasign. Mi nikawaambia sitasign unless imeandikwa na kizungu.”

Don, who has no military background, requested for a week to read and understand the contract. He was given an ultimatum: sign the contract or repay all expenses incurred by the traffickers.

He says others who had enrolled and were gravely injured were not allowed to return home despite repeated pleas.

“Kuna Mwafrika alikuwa anamlilia na amekatika miguu na mikono, anamwambia amrudishe Kenya. Wenye alikuwa nao wote 15 wamekufa, ni yeye amebaki. Amuhurumie na si vizuri tukufe wote, angalau nirudi nyumbani. Huyo Mrussia akamuambia, ‘A contract is a contract. Once you have signed, you have to finish your contract," Don noted.

Don agreed to pay the expenses incurred for his travel under duress. The Russians demanded USD 10,000, about Ksh.1.2 million.

He was able to raise Ksh.450,000 sent by his wife in two instalments. The money was paid to their accomplices in Kenya.

“Nikaambia Festus bibi amepata pesa in cash. Mzungu akasema atume picha in cash, atume kwa simu. Na bibi nikamwambia pia Ksh.200,000 iko kwa simu na ingine in cash, akascreenshot wamtumie. Mzungu akatumia Festus kukutana na bibi yangu Rongai kuchukua hiyo cash," stated Don.

He was released and, on the August 30, boarded a flight from St. Petersburg to Dubai, then onward to Nairobi. Don says some of the Kenyans who left with him for Russia have since gotten injured, some have died, and their families remain unaware.

From Kiserian another family in Thika have not spoken to their kin for three months later since he went to Russia.

Unlike Don, who did not have any military background, John Mwangi Nduta, 37 years old and the last born in a family of four, was an ex-military officer with the Kenya Defence Forces after working for close to 17 years.

In Ofafa, Thika, on May 17, 2024, he told his brother Roman Kamau that he had found a job in Russia with the same agency, Global Face.

“Ndugu yangu alitravel na after two to three days akani-WhatsApp akaniambia amefika Russia vizuri na amepatana na wale walikuwa wamemuitia kazi. Baadaye kidogo akaniambia kazi amepata ni kazi ya uwanajeshi ambapo haikuwa kazi ngeni kwake coz hapa nchini alikuwa pia KDF," Roman Kamau Nduta a brother to John Mwangi said.

Mwangi was deployed after three weeks of training and confirmed that he was on the frontline in the Russia-Ukraine war.

“Nikamuuliza hiyo kibarua iko aje? Akaniambia wanafight against Ukraine na tayari wako kwa kichaka, hata kuna photos amenitumia wakiwa kichakani," Nduta noted.

On July 25, communication between John and his family was cut abruptly. The family wrote to the Kenyan Embassy in Moscow, having grown tired of waiting for communication from John. No information has been forthcoming from that end to date.

“Ni kitu hata kulala huwezi lala. Ukijua wewe unalala vizuri na ndugu yako analala wapi, ni vizuri tujue hata kama ako injured, tujue ako injured how, ndio roho itulie," Nduta stated.

Back in Kenya, a legal battle is underway at the Kahawa Law Courts after the arrest of Edward Kamau and 21 others who were found at the Great Wall Gardens ready to travel to Russia. Kamau is accused of trafficking, among other charges. He is out on bail.

It raises the question of who brokered the pipeline into Russia’s military ranks, given that it was not handled through official government-to-government channels.

It also raises the issue of how the Kenyan government failed to detect ongoing military recruitment for Russia, given the degree of exploitation that has been exposed and the apparent extent of that exercise.