More than 1,000 Kenyans lured to fight for Russia, report says

An intelligence report to the Kenyan parliament says more than 1,000 Kenyans have been lured to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine. Kimani Ichung’wah, the majority leader of the national assembly, read a summary of an investigation by the National Intelligence Service that describes an expanding operation; the figure is a sharp rise from a November foreign affairs ministry statement that more than 200 Kenyans had travelled to fight.

The report says "rogue" employment agencies and individuals are targeting former military personnel, police officers and civilians in their mid-20s to 50s by promising monthly pay of about 350,000 shillings (£2,000), bonuses of between 900,000 and 1.2m shillings and eventual Russian citizenship.

It also accuses collusion with "rogue" staff at the Directorate of Immigration Services, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and its Anti-Narcotics Unit, and the National Employment Authority to prevent interception at Nairobi’s international airport.

Kenya, Nairobi

kenya, russia, ukraine, mercenaries, foreign fighters, recruitment, nis kenya, kimani ichung’wah, immigration services, nairobi airport