Ukraine captures Kenyan serving in Russian army, who claims he was tricked into joining
Ukrainian soldiers captured a Kenyan citizen serving in the Russian army in Kharkiv Oblast, near the town of Vovchansk, the 57th Motorized Infantry Brigade reported on Sept. 17.
The man, who identified himself as Evans and said he was an athlete in civilian life, said he traveled to Russia as a tourist and was deceived into joining the Russian army.
This case highlights a broader pattern of Russia recruiting foreigners to fight against Ukraine, sometimes through deceptive methods.
"I ended up in Russia without knowing that I had been enlisted in the Russian army. I had never served before," Evans said in a video released by the brigade. "I didn't go to Russia for that."
According to Evans, the man who hosted him in Russia offered him a "job" and gave him documents to sign, which turned out to be a military contract.
"After I signed, he took my passport and phone, saying he would return them. From that moment on, other people came for me. They told me to get in the car," he added.
After just a week of basic training, he was sent to a military camp, where Evans described chaotic conditions, with orders shouted while soldiers were grabbed by their clothes.
Fearing for his life, Evans fled to Ukrainian troops, who gave him food and water. He said that if he had returned to the Russian army, he would have been killed.
The man said other recruits also included Russians, Belarusians, Tajiks, and other Africans.
Kenya, an East African nation heavily dependent on Ukrainian grain, has faced food market disruptions since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
Kenyan President William Ruto has condemned Russia's war against Ukraine, calling it unjust.
Moscow has intensified efforts to expand its influence across Africa through propaganda outlets such as TASS and RT, while also recruiting fighters from the continent.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 4 that Russian units in Kharkiv Oblast included foreign mercenaries from China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and several African countries.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
