Kenyans will no longer be enlisted to fight for Russia in Uk

 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi enter a hall during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, March 16, 2026. Tatyana Makeyeva/Pool via REUTERS

 

Members of the delegations, led by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi, hold talks in Moscow, Russia, March 16, 2026. Tatyana Makeyeva/Pool via REUTERS

 

Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi attends a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, March 16, 2026. Tatyana Makeyeva/Pool via REUTERS

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and Kenyan Foreign Minister Mudavadi meet in Moscow

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi enter a hall during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, March 16, 2026. Tatyana Makeyeva/Pool via REUTERS

By Guy Faulconbridge

MOSCOW, March 16 (Reuters) - Kenya said on Monday that it had agreed with Russia that Kenyans would no longer be eligible for signing up to fight in the war with Ukraine ‌after the scale of Russian recruitment triggered anger in some African countries.

Kenya says that more than ‌1,000 Kenyans have been recruited to fight, attracted by monthly salaries of several thousand dollars and bonuses of more than $6,000 for contract soldiers.

 

After meeting ?Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi praised the relationship with Moscow, including Soviet recognition of Kenyan independence from Britain in 1963.

 

On the issue of Kenyans fighting in what the Kremlin calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine, Mudavadi said agreement had been reached to no longer allow Kenyans to sign up to fight.

"His excellency has conversed ‌with us on the issue of the ?welfare of Kenyans who are in Russia and more specifically those who are involved in the special operation," Mudavadi said at a joint news briefing with Lavrov.

"And I want to ?make it clear that we have now agreed that Kenyans shall not be enlisted through the (Russian) Ministry of Defence - they will no longer be eligible to be enlisted," he said. "There will no further enlisting."

 

He added that consular services would be organised through ?proper ?diplomatic channels for those Kenyans who had already signed up ?and required assistance.

Lavrov said that Kenyan citizens had ‌voluntarily signed contracts to fight alongside the Russian army.

It is unclear exactly how many Africans have gone to fight in Ukraine but Kyiv says over 1,700 Africans fighting on the Russian side. The Russian defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment.