Nairobi — President William Ruto says Russia has agreed to stop enlisting Kenyans into its military, after talks with President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin that followed the Russia-Africa summit in Moscow. Kenya has been classed as a “non-source country” for Russian military recruitment, Ruto said, and a Kenyan defence attaché in Moscow will work with Russia’s Ministry of Defence on the return of Kenyans and on compensation. No compensation amount or timeline has been announced.
By the 254.ke Newsroom. Updated October 30, 2026.
What did Ruto announce after meeting Putin?
According to The Star and KBC, the main points were:
- Putin confirmed that Kenyans will no longer be enlisted into the Russian military, and Kenya is treated as a non-source country for recruitment.
- Ruto said he has appointed a defence attaché at the Kenyan Embassy in Moscow, who will liaise with Russia’s Ministry of Defence to facilitate repatriation of Kenyans and to “process compensation”.
- Five memoranda of understanding were signed, including an intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation, labour inspection and employment promotion, transport, visa-free travel for diplomatic and service passports, and diplomatic training, KBC reported.
- The two governments are negotiating a bilateral labour agreement, and Ruto said he invited Putin to visit Kenya.
- Putin said Russia supports expanding the UN Office in Nairobi.
How many Kenyans were recruited?
There is no single agreed figure. The numbers in circulation come from different sources and count different things.
| Figure | Source |
|---|---|
| 354 Kenyans connected to the conflict (front line, killed or missing, hospitalised, returned); 62 repatriated at that point | Musalia Mudavadi, Senate committees, October 9, as reported by The Star |
| 841 Kenyans recruited between October 2022 and June 2026; at least 76 killed | Journalists for Justice investigation, as reported by Africanews and Kenyans.co.ke |
| More than 1,000 Kenyans recruited | National Intelligence Service, told to Parliament, as reported by Africanews and Kenyans.co.ke |
Africanews also cited the same investigation as finding more than 3,000 recruits from 40 African countries, with 502 confirmed deaths by June 2026. None of the reports gives a count of Kenyans still in Russia.
Will Russia pay compensation to Kenyan families?
That is not yet clear. Ruto’s quoted words say the attaché “will work with the Russian Ministry of Defence to process compensation for Kenyans and to assist in their safe return home”. Africanews, which headlined its report as Ruto seeking compensation, said the value, eligibility criteria and payment timeline have not been announced and no payer is named. Kenyans.co.ke headlined its report that Russia “will compensate” victims, but the statements it quotes do not commit Russia to pay.
What did Kenyans who went to Russia say happened?
Kenyans.co.ke on October 29 published an account from Vincent Odhiambo, a Nairobi shopkeeper, told to broadcaster Yvonne Okwara’s programme “The Conscripts”. He said he travelled to Russia in July 2025 on the promise of shop jobs, had his passport taken on arrival and was sent to a military camp. He said he was later wounded at the front. His account was reported as his own and has not been independently verified.
What else was agreed: scholarships and trade?
KBC quoted Putin as saying Russia raised the quota for Kenyan students “from the current 70 to 300 annually”, and The Star’s Ruto report carried the same 70-to-300 figure. A separate Star report on Putin’s remarks said Russia would provide 70 scholarships “next year”. The reports do not explain the difference. Putin also said Russia is one of the top fertiliser exporters to Kenya, while Ruto acknowledged a trade imbalance in Russia’s favour.
What is not yet known?
- When the defence attaché will start work, and how a Kenyan family can lodge a compensation claim.
- Whether the stop-list measure has a start date. Mudavadi told senators in October that Kenya had secured inclusion on a Russian stop list, and the embassy had recorded no new enlistments since then, The Star reported. In March 2026 Mudavadi announced a similar halt after talks with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
- Whether Putin has accepted the invitation to visit Kenya. Africanews and Kenyans.co.ke say this is unclear.
- The date of the Kremlin meeting. KBC and Africanews place it on Thursday, October 29; Kenyans.co.ke reported it as Friday, October 30.
FAQ
Has Russia stopped recruiting Kenyans?
Ruto says Putin confirmed it. The Kenyan side says the embassy in Moscow has recorded no new enlistments since early October. Moscow’s own statement was not available in the reports reviewed.
How can families of Kenyans in Russia get help?
The government says the defence attaché in Moscow will coordinate returns. No public claims process has been announced. Families can contact the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs.
How many Kenyans have died fighting for Russia?
Journalists for Justice puts the number at no fewer than 76, according to Africanews and Kenyans.co.ke. The government has given a separate figure of 354 Kenyans connected to the conflict, which includes the killed or missing, the hospitalised and those who returned.
Is there a bilateral labour agreement with Russia?
Not yet. Ruto said the two governments will negotiate one. A labour inspection and employment cooperation memorandum was signed, according to KBC.
Related: Martin Kimani named Kenya’s new UN assistant secretary-general.
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