Kenya Secures Release of Citizens Caught in Russia-Ukraine Conflict, Cracks Down on Rogue Recruiters
NAIROBI, Kenya – Monday, October 27, 2025 – The Kenyan government has announced a breakthrough in its efforts to rescue citizens allegedly tricked into participating in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, having reached an agreement with Moscow for their immediate release.
In a statement released by the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Ministry of Foreign & Diaspora Affairs, the government confirmed it is “seized of the matter” and has been engaged in months of high-level diplomacy with Russian officials.
A crucial meeting held last month between Kenyan and Russian diplomats yielded a significant agreement: Kenyan nationals being held without their consent at military bases across the Russian Federation are to be released immediately to the Kenyan Mission in Moscow.
“The governments of Kenya and Russia have also reached an agreement that those being held without their consent should be released to our Mission in Moscow with immediate effect,” the statement read.
According to the update, the Kenyan Mission in Moscow has already successfully rescued several nationals from military bases, providing them with emergency travel documents to facilitate their safe return to their families. The Embassy has pledged to continue assisting others who manage to leave the camps and wish to return home.
The government highlighted the complex nature of the problem, pointing to “ruthless agents” who “masquerade as working with the Russian Government.” These recruiters reportedly use “unscrupulous methods including falsified information” to lure Kenyans with promises of employment, only for them to unknowingly end up in military operations.
To prevent further victimization, the government is urging immigration and security agencies to be “extra vigilant” at border points, especially airports, to “help identify and arrest the agents illegally drafting Kenyans into conflicts abroad.”
Kenyans planning to travel to Russia are advised to be extremely cautious. The Mission in Moscow has issued a public advisory on its website and social media, encouraging all Kenyans in the region to register with the embassy to access consular services.
Despite the current crisis, the government affirmed its commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Russia. Both nations are reportedly working on a Bilateral Labour Agreement intended to create a legal framework that will ensure Kenyans have access to genuine and safe job opportunities in Russia in the future.
The statement was signed by H.E. Dr. Musalia Mudavadi, the Prime Cabinet Secretary & Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs.
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