Shockwaves of a Distant War : How Russia’s Illegal Recruitment of Kenyan Soldiers Have Left Families Devastated

After months of searching for ways to earn a better living, they rejoice as they finally pounce on an opportunity – a factory in Russia, where they could earn enough to feed their families back in Kenya. But how many are truly aware of the risks they face, the looming threat of death as they are issued military equipment and thrust into the flames of war?

600 recruitment agencies suspected of duping Kenyans with promises of jobs overseas were closed by Kenyan authorities, with an estimated 200 of its nationals recruited to fight for Russia. The exact number remains unclear, as none of them had travelled through official channels.

The number of Kenyans that have perished fighting for a country not their own is increasingly obscure. Relatives who have approached the Russian embassy in Nairobi for answers were unceremoniously turned away. And those that do know of the tragic fate of their loved ones have been unable to put their bodies to rest. With the remains strewn across the territories of both Russia and Ukraine, it has been difficult to coordinate with the respective authorities to get the remains of those people repatriated.

Blame has therefore fallen onto the government for failing to regulate and criminalize clandestine recruitment agencies, despite the government’s best efforts to scrap them. Kenya’s Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi has called the recruitment “unacceptable and clandestine”, and urged Moscow to sign a deal banning the conscription of his people.

The reach of this issue extends beyond the borders of Kenya, plaguing its entire continent. An estimated 1,400 people from 36 countries in Africa have been recruited to fight for Russia, a transcontinental conscription that is sure to leave plenty of despair in its wake.

Source:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0k1jzvrykro
Additional sources regarding the same topic:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c79vqpnqgy7o