More Than 1,000 Kenyans Recruited to Fight for Russia in Ukraine - US Report

More than 1,000 Kenyan men were fraudulently recruited to fight for the Russian military in the Russia-Ukraine war, the 2026 US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report on Kenya has shown.

The report raised concerns about how Kenyan men seeking employment abroad were allegedly lured with promises of lucrative jobs before being channelled into military service in Russia, identifying the scheme as a significant human trafficking concern.

"Officials reported some Kenyan officials colluded with recruitment agencies and government officials from Russia to facilitate the fraudulent recruitment of more than 1,000 Kenyan men to fight for the Russian military in the Russia-Ukraine war," the report read.

The report stated that the men were initially promised well-paying jobs in the security and construction sectors but were subsequently coerced into signing contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense.

"More than 1,000 Kenyan men were fraudulently recruited to fight for the Russian military in Ukraine. Kenyan men are recruited with promises of high-paying security or construction jobs and later coerced into signing contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense," the report added.

The report also highlighted the recruitment of young women, including Kenyans, for vocational training programmes that allegedly resulted in their placement at Russian military drone production facilities.

"Media and NGOs report unscrupulous actors, including Russian officials and illicit recruiters, fraudulently recruited women ages 18-22 from Africa - including Kenya - South Asia, and South America for vocational training programs and subsequently placed them in military drone production sites," the report further read.

According to the report, workers at the facilities faced conditions that could indicate human trafficking, including alleged labour violations, recruitment-related financial exploitation and restrictions on their working conditions.

"Media report workers at these sites are subjected to hazardous conditions, surveillance, hour and wage violations, contract switching, and worker-paid recruitment fees, all of which were indicators of human trafficking," the report claimed.

Elsewhere, beyond the cases involving Russia, the report identified corruption and alleged official complicity as major obstacles to combating human trafficking in Kenya, warning that such practices continued to undermine law enforcement efforts.

"Corruption and official complicity in trafficking crimes remained significant concerns, inhibiting law enforcement action during the year. The government investigated three Ministry of Labor officials for allegedly accepting bribes to facilitate potential trafficking crimes involving migrant workers traveling to the Middle East," the report further stated.

The report also highlighted allegations that criminal networks worked with officers in law enforcement and immigration departments to facilitate the movement of trafficking victims across Kenya, including through border checkpoints and airports.

"Observers alleged criminal syndicates colluded with various law enforcement and immigration departments, including those at border checkpoints and airports, to transport trafficking victims into and within Kenya. Civil society reported corruption in government programs that prepare Kenyans for work abroad," the report showed.

The report further raised concerns over potential conflicts of interest involving government officials who reportedly had financial stakes in private employment agencies responsible for recruiting Kenyans for overseas jobs.

"Media reported that more than 10 percent of Kenyan government officials maintained ownership interests in private employment agencies, including staffing firms that send Kenyan migrant workers to Saudi Arabia, resulting in potential conflicts of interest. Media also reported some Kenyan embassy officials in Saudi Arabia reportedly demanded sex or cash payments from women seeking government assistance to escape abusive employers and return to Kenya," the report noted.

The allegations extended to recruitment agencies reportedly owned by government employees, with the report indicating that authorities had not reported taking action against the agencies over their alleged involvement in trafficking-related offences.

"The government did not report taking action against recruitment agencies reportedly owned by government employees that were allegedly complicit in facilitating trafficking crimes; lesser charges, such as failing to register a recruitment company, were frequently levied," the report read.

However, the report acknowledged that Kenya had established regulatory measures to oversee recruitment agencies and hold them accountable for fraudulent employment practices. 

The National Employment Authority (NEA) was responsible for supervising more than 500 licensed recruitment agencies.

"The government regulated labor recruiters and held them liable for fraudulent recruitment. The NEA oversaw more than 500 licensed recruitment agencies, requiring agency directors to register in person during the vetting process; however, officials acknowledged that proxy ownership is common," the report added.

The NEA had also undertaken measures intended to improve recruitment standards and make it easier for Kenyans to identify legitimate overseas employment opportunities.

According to the report, the authority noted that 140 recruitment agencies had received ethics training. 

It also maintained an external employment management system that served as a one-stop internet portal through which Kenyans could search and apply for pre-vetted overseas employment opportunities offered through licensed recruitment companies.

The report further outlined government efforts to educate vulnerable populations about the risks associated with overseas employment and other forms of exploitation.

"In partnership with civil society organizations, the government held awareness campaigns targeting vulnerable populations, particularly Kenyans seeking to work abroad, and launched a campaign focused on the growing threat of forced labor in online scams," the report showed.