Russia to stop recruiting Kenyans into its army
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Tuko
Kenyan President William Ruto says Russia will no longer recruit Kenyan nationals into its army after his meeting with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin. Moscow will also appoint a defence attaché to Kenya’s embassy, while five bilateral agreements have been signed, Tuko reports.
Kenyan President William Ruto announced on Friday 30 October 2026 that Russia would no longer recruit Kenyan nationals into its armed forces. According to him, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that Kenya would henceforth be classified as a country that does not provide recruits to the Russian army, after their meeting at the Kremlin.
William Ruto also announced the appointment of a defence attaché to Kenya’s embassy in Moscow. The representative will work with Russia’s Defence Ministry to organise the return of Kenyans involved in military activities and facilitate compensation for those concerned, according to Tuko.
The scale of the recruitment remains disputed. A report by the National Intelligence Service presented to Kenya’s Parliament mentions more than 1,000 nationals recruited, while a petition by families lists about 841 names. The government, for its part, says it has officially identified 354 Kenyans.
The announcement came after a meeting between William Ruto and Vladimir Putin, held on 30 October to discuss expanding economic ties between Kenya and Russia. It followed discussions on opening new Kenyan markets at the Russia-Africa forum, announced on 27 October.
