Kenyan Man Injured by Drone Strike Says He Was Trafficked to Fight for Russia

A Kenyan man receiving treatment in a Russian hospital has called on his government to rescue him after claiming he was forced to fight in Ukraine under false pretences.

Denis Mokaya Mongare says he left Kenya in November last year after being promised a cleaning job by a recruitment agent named Maria. Instead, he was transported through South Africa, Dubai, Moscow, and Belarus, a route he now believes was part of a human trafficking scheme.

Mongare reports that on arrival, his passport and those of several other Kenyans – including Francis Waithera, Enock Mboi, and Thadeus Kamau – were confiscated. He alleges the group was taken to an undisclosed location and made to sign documents written in Russian, which they could not read. 

“We didn’t know what we were signing. We were confused and scared,” he said.

The men were then moved to a military camp, where they received minimal training before being sent to the front line near the Ukrainian border. Mongare describes harsh conditions, including extreme cold, food shortages, and continuous attacks. On 5 February, he survived a drone strike that left him injured.

From his hospital bed in Stary Oskol, Belgorod region, Mongare has appealed directly to the Kenyan government to secure his return home. He warned that other Kenyans remain in similar circumstances, with some reportedly killed.

Intelligence reports suggest that more than 1,000 Kenyans, including former military and police officers, have been recruited to fight in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Reports indicate coordination between recruitment agencies, government officials, and embassies, with recruits enticed by promises of high pay but deployed to combat zones after limited training.