Madar (Nairobi) - Kenya is seeking compensation for its citizens recruited into Russia's military following talks between President William Ruto and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Africanews reported on Friday, October 30, 2026.
Ruto said Kenya had appointed a defence attaché in Moscow to work directly with Russia's Ministry of Defence, process compensation claims for affected Kenyans and support efforts to bring them home safely. The value of the compensation, the eligibility criteria and the payment timeline have not yet been announced.
Ruto also said Russia had agreed during the Kremlin talks to stop recruiting Kenyans into its armed forces, with Kenya now classified as a non-source country for military recruitment.
An investigation by Journalists for Justice identified at least 76 Kenyans killed while fighting for Russia and 841 Kenyans recruited between October 2022 and June 2026. Across Africa, it documented more than 3,000 recruits from 40 countries and 502 confirmed deaths by June. Kenya's National Intelligence Service has separately told Parliament that more than 1,000 Kenyans were recruited.
Some Kenyans were reportedly promised civilian jobs in security and logistics before being required to sign military contracts after arriving in Russia.
The two leaders also discussed raising Russian scholarships for Kenyan students from 70 to 300, negotiating a bilateral labour agreement, and cooperation in transport, employment and diplomatic training. Ruto invited Putin to Kenya; it would be his first official visit to the country and his first trip to Africa since 2018. It remains unclear whether the invitation has been accepted.
