The Russian Embassy in Kenya has dismissed allegations linking it to the recruitment of Kenyans to fight in the ongoing Ukraine war.
In a statement on Thursday, February 19, the embassy accused sections of the Kenyan media of spreading misleading narrative regarding Kenyans who travelled to Russia and later participated in combat operations.
"The Embassy of the Russian Federation has noted with great concern that a dangerous and misleading propaganda campaign has been unfolding in the Kenyan media and public space around cases of Kenyan citizens who travelled to the Russian Federation, joined the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and saw combat in the conflict in Ukraine," the statement read.
The embassy claimed that the reports had escalated beyond general commentary and now included direct accusations against its Nairobi-based mission and staff.
"Even as the Russian and Kenyan governments have been in close contact on the related issues, the campaign has recently culminated in direct accusations against the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Nairobi and its staff of involvement in rogue schemes of recruitment of Kenyans to become combatants in the conflict in Ukraine," the statement added.
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Addressing the recruitment claims, the mission denied any involvement in illegal enlistment of Kenyan citizens into Russia’s military structures.
"The Embassy refutes such allegations in the strongest possible terms. The Government authorities of Russia have never engaged in illegal recruitment of Kenyan citizens in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation," the statement continued.
The mission also responded to assertions that the embassy may have facilitated travel for Kenyans intending to participate in the war.
It maintained that it has neither encouraged nor coordinated with any parties to persuade Kenyans to join the conflict under false pretenses.
"At no point in time throughout the ongoing crisis in Ukraine the Embassy ever issued visas to Kenyan citizens who sought to travel to Russia with the stated purpose of participating in the Special Military Operation (SMO) in Ukraine.
"Nor has the Embassy been encouraging any Kenyan citizen to do so, let alone colluding with any entities or individuals to coerce or lure Kenyans into participating in the SMO under false pretext," the statement further read.
However, the embassy clarified that under Russian law, foreign nationals who are legally present in the country are permitted to voluntarily enlist in the armed forces.
"However, it must be understood that the legislation of the Russian Federation does not preclude citizens of foreign countries from voluntarily enlisting in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, if they stay in Russia on a legal basis and choose to take part in the battle against the NATO-backed Ukrainian Nazism shoulder to shoulder with Russian servicemen," the statement concluded.
This comes days after three Kenyan men conscripted into the Russian asked the government to intervene for their release and return to Kenya.
The trio contacted activist Boniface Mwangi to air their situation, claiming that their efforts to reach out to the Kenyan mission in Moscow were yet to bear fruit.
In an update on Sunday, February 15, Mwangi said the men were trapped in Western Russia, asking the Kenyan government to intervene for their rescue.
"I have been in touch with some Kenyans who are in the Russian military. Our embassy in Moscow has refused to help them, and today they asked me to release their names," he said.
The three were identified as Nicholas Kaino Kiprotich, Samuel Maina Kariuki, and Kelvin Lemashon.
"They are in Taunishevka, Western Russia, waiting to be deployed. None of their friends who have been sent to the frontline has come back alive; two of them, David and Reuben, are dead," Mwangi added.
