The Government has secured a major diplomatic intervention to stop further recruitment of Kenyan nationals into Russia’s military operation, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Dr Musalia Mudavadi has told Parliament.
Mudavadi said Kenya was placed on Russia’s “Stop List” following his official visit to Moscow in March 2026, effectively preventing further enlistment of Kenyan nationals into the conflict.
He said the Kenyan Embassy in Moscow has since confirmed that no additional Kenyan nationals have been enlisted in the Special Military Operation following implementation of the Stop List.
“The visit also addressed consular access and the voluntary disengagement of Kenyans from military service, subject to applicable contractual arrangements,” Mudavadi said in a response to Parliament on the recruitment of Kenyans into the Russian Army and the detention of Kenyans in Ukrainian prisons.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary said the Government has records of 354 Kenyan nationals linked to the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
Of these, 77 are reported to be on the frontlines, 38 in camps, 52 in unknown locations or unclassified status, while 84 are listed as killed or missing in action.
Another 34 are hospitalised, 62 have been repatriated, five are prisoners of war, while one is in detention and another has completed a contract.
Mudavadi said the Government has already facilitated the safe repatriation of 62 Kenyans who had been involved in the conflict.
He said the State Department for Diaspora Affairs continues to document cases reported by families, coordinate tracing and verification through Kenyan diplomatic missions, provide official updates and psychosocial support, and facilitate families on matters concerning compensation, interment and repatriation of remains.
Five Kenyans held as prisoners of war
On Kenyans detained in Ukraine, Mudavadi said the Government, through the Embassy in Vienna, which is accredited to Ukraine, has been engaging Ukrainian authorities and the Kenyan Honorary Consul in Ukraine.
A consular visit to the Zakhid 1 prisoner-of-war camp established that the detainees were being held in humane conditions, had access to medical services and were being treated in accordance with applicable rules governing prisoners of war.
The Ukrainian Embassy in Vienna has confirmed that five Kenyan nationals are currently being held in Ukraine as prisoners of war.
Mudavadi said the Government is pursuing their welfare, release and eventual repatriation through diplomatic channels, including engagement with the Ukrainian authorities and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
He further disclosed that the Government is considering advocating for Kenyans who were allegedly recruited under false promises of employment to be treated as victims of international human trafficking, rather than solely as prisoners of war, to facilitate access to appropriate assistance.
The proposal is based on circumstances surrounding their recruitment and conscription, which the Government says are consistent with the definition of trafficking in persons under the Palermo Protocol.
Ruto engages Zelenskyy
Mudavadi also disclosed that President William Ruto personally engaged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy through a telephone conversation on the matter.
He said Kenya has also made progress towards accrediting its Ambassador to Ukraine, with Kyiv having already granted the required Agrément, paving the way for the issuance of Letters of Credence from Nairobi.
According to Mudavadi, the strengthened diplomatic representation will enhance Kenya’s ability to undertake timely and effective interventions and follow-up on cases involving Kenyan nationals in Ukraine.
Government steps up safe migration measures
The Prime Cabinet Secretary said the Government is also strengthening preventive measures to protect Kenyans from deceptive recruitment and irregular migration.
These include sensitisation programmes under Diaspora Mashinani, pre-departure orientation for prospective migrant workers, verification of recruitment agencies and employment offers, stronger emergency-assistance channels and encouraging Kenyans abroad to register with Kenyan diplomatic missions.
The Government is also pursuing bilateral labour agreements and Government-to-Government labour mobility frameworks through the Diaspora Placement Agency to strengthen recruitment standards, contractual protections and the welfare of Kenyan migrant workers.
Mudavadi said the Government would continue combining welfare interventions with preventive measures to ensure Kenyans seeking opportunities abroad are protected from fraudulent recruitment and have access to appropriate consular support.
The updated response to Parliament incorporated additional information received from the Embassy/Permanent Mission of Kenya in Vienna on October 7, 2026, after the Ministry’s earlier written response.
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