Kenya police break up trafficking ring recruiting Kenyans to fight for Russia in Ukraine

Kenyan police and security agencies on Wednesday dismantled a suspected human-trafficking ring that lured Kenyans with job offers in Russia but planned to send them to fight in Ukraine. Authorities said 22 Kenyans were rescued from an apartment in the Athi River area near Nairobi, and a man coordinating the travel was arrested.

The operation, described as intelligence-led and carried out by a multi-agency security task force, yielded recruitment materials, travel documents, and letters promising employment in Moscow. Investigators said the ring had been recruiting with promises of well-paying work abroad while secretly arranging for the recruits to be sent to Russia to participate in the war in Ukraine.

The suspect, accused of coordinating the victims' travel to Russia in September and October, appeared in court and was remanded for 10 days while investigators complete their work. Police said the arrest follows a coordinated crackdown aimed at dismantling the network and disrupt its ability to extract large sums from desperate job seekers.

Police said the victims signed contracts with an overseas employment agency, agreeing to pay as much as $18,000 for visas, travel, accommodation and other logistics, with some already paying deposits of about $1,500. Many of those recruited have since returned home injured or traumatised, and in some cases did not make it back.

Two Kenyans have returned, with one currently admitted to a city hospital, according to authorities.

A senior foreign ministry official said Nairobi is following up reports that several Kenyan nationals trafficked to Russia are now being held as prisoners of war in Ukraine. Ukraine has acknowledged the existence of prisoners of war from various countries and has warned about the fate of foreign fighters. Petro Yatsenko, Ukraine's spokesperson on prisoner-of-war treatment, said that most African states show little interest in the return of such citizens and do not wish to take them back.

The case highlights broader concerns about trafficking networks that exploit aspirations for overseas work, often charging high fees and orchestrating perilous journeys. Police described the operation as a sustained, multi-agency effort aimed at cutting off recruitment channels and prosecuting those responsible. Investigators said the inquiry would continue to establish the full scope of the ring's activities, including identities of other suspects and the exact routes used to move recruits to Russia.

The episode comes amid heightened attention in Kenya and across the region to trafficking networks that target job seekers with false promises, sometimes luring them into international conflicts or forced labor. Government officials have urged vigilance and reiterated commitments to protect vulnerable populations from predatory recruitment schemes, while stressing the need for international cooperation to address cross-border trafficking and repatriation challenges.