Kenya’s Foreign Minister, Musalia Mudavadi, is visiting Russia this week under mounting pressure from families of citizens reportedly recruited into the Russian military, seeking to convince Moscow to halt the controversial practice. Reports in recent weeks have revealed a growing network of African recruits drawn into Russia’s war in Ukraine, often lured via third-party offers of lucrative civilian jobs. Countries across the continent, including Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, face the delicate task of responding to public concern while maintaining diplomatic ties with Russia, a superpower with longstanding relations in the region, according to Reuters.
Speaking to Reuters ahead of his trip, Mudavadi emphasized the urgency of protecting Kenyan citizens. “We want Kenyans stopped — they should not be enlisted at all,” he said. “We are getting a lot of pressure from some of the affected families who are now gathering more courage to come forward and speak to the issue.” He described his approach as “pragmatic and realistic,” stressing that the goal was dialogue rather than confrontation. “This is about speaking to issues as they are and the distress that they’re causing to the Kenyan people, and we need a joint effort to be able to resolve it,” Mudavadi added.
Russian authorities have denied illegally recruiting African citizens for the conflict in Ukraine. The Russian Foreign Ministry, through spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, said that Minister Sergei Lavrov would discuss with Mudavadi the “state and prospects for the development of traditionally friendly Russian-Kenyan relations,” including economic and trade partnerships. The Russian defense ministry did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment outside of usual business hours.
The scale of African involvement is striking. Ukraine estimates over 1,700 Africans are fighting on Russia’s side, though analysts suggest the figure may be higher. Kenyan intelligence indicates that more than 1,000 Kenyans have been recruited, though Mudavadi declined to provide a precise number. Similar reports emerged from Ghana, where Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa told Reuters that over 50 Ghanaians had been killed after being “lured into battle,” and warned the true figures could be higher. Ablakwa emphasized that while Ghana maintains diplomatic relations with Russia, it would act decisively if citizens were harmed or deceived into conflict.
South Africa has taken a more cautious approach, investigating the circumstances under which citizens traveled to fight. Zane Dangor, director general of the South African foreign affairs department, told Reuters that the investigation would also examine the involvement of Wagner, the Russian mercenary group replaced by the Kremlin-controlled Africa Corps, though evidence so far does not suggest direct Russian state involvement.
International organisations have sought to quantify the issue. Geneva-based Inpact, which tracks Russian recruitment networks, verified several lists of recruits, including one documenting 1,417 African citizens from multiple countries. Cameroon, Egypt, and Ghana were among the nations with the highest numbers, the group reported in February. Lou Osborn of Inpact told Reuters that the documented figures likely represent only a portion of the true scale. “We think we are just scratching the surface with these numbers,” Osborn said, noting that over 40 families had contacted the organisation to confirm recruitment methods.
Ablakwa has called for a coordinated African response, framing the recruitment scandal as a continental issue. “This is bigger than Ghana,” he said. “If Africans are being lured into a foreign war through deception and exploitation, then Africa should respond collectively.” Experts suggest, however, that the political fallout has so far been limited. Pier Pigou, senior consultant at the International Crisis Group, told Reuters that the issue is unlikely to strain Russia-Africa relations unless a significant public backlash occurs. For many, he noted, the motivations of recruits are largely economic. “For the vast majority of people it’s a case of ‘these dudes are just trying to earn a living. And because their countries don’t provide that for them, they’re going to take opportunities that arise,’” Pigou said.
