A third Kenyan was rescued and repatriated back to Nairobi after he had earlier been irregularly conscripted to serve in the Russian military.
He was among Kenyans who were duped and joined the Russian military for war against Ukraine
Foreign affairs Principal Secretary Korir Singoei urged Kenyans to exercise all diligence in verifying the authenticity of any foreign employment contracts and to seek advice from the Ministry.
“A third Kenyan, Kevin Kariuki Nduma, irregularly conscripted to serve in the Russian military is on his way back home. I commend our Mission in Moscow for the effort to rescue and repatriate Kenyans caught in this unfortunate and dangerous situation.”
“We implore Kenyans to exercise all diligence in verifying the authenticity of any foreign employment contracts and to seek advice from the Ministry and particularly our Diaspora State department should they have doubt,” he said.
This comes in the wake of reports dozens of Kenyans could be in Russian military and fighting in Ukraine.
Kenya last Friday deported a Russian official at the Nairobi Embassy after he was linked to the recruitment drive for war.
The Russian embassy in Nairobi broke its silence over the incident where one of its national was arrested, questioned and deported over claims of being involved in a syndicate to traffic Kenyans to Moscow to join war against Ukraine.
The embassy confirmed on the evening of September 25, 2025, Kenyan law enforcement officers escorted Mikhail Lyapin, a citizen of the Russian Federation, e Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in order to question him about his business activities in the country.
“Upon completing all necessary procedures, in the afternoon of September 26, Mr. Lyapin, in accordance with his previous plans, left Kenya.”
“Diplomats of the Russian Embassy in Nairobi provided the necessary consular and legal assistance to the Russian citizen, and also made sure that his legal rights were not violated,” a statement from the embassy said.
It added the Russian Embassy has no official information from the Kenyan authorities regarding any claims against the Russian citizen or his activities.
“Contrary to the reports of a number of media outlets, Mr. Lyapin has never been an employee of Russian governmental bodies and does not work at the Russian Embassy in Nairobi.”
The statement added the Embassy is always open to constructive cooperation with Kenyan authorities on issues related to the stay of Russian citizens in the Republic of Kenya, including their compliance with Kenyan and Russian legislation, and will continue its work to protect their rights and interests as well.
“The Embassy once again urges Kenyan citizens traveling to the Russian Federation for study, work, tourism, or other purposes to contact the Consular Section of the Russian Embassy in Nairobi should they have any inquiries, and Russian citizens in Kenya to register with the Mission’s Consulate Section.”
Sources said the move came after interventions.
The foreigner was a key player in the cartel trafficking Kenyans to Russia to join the military, officials said.
His arrest and detention on Thursday evening came after the security agencies rescued 22 Kenyans from rented apartments where they were unknowingly being processed to travel to Russia.
The foreigner who first came to Kenya on March 6, 2017 was booked at Muthaiga Police cells ahead of his deportation.
Kenya’s security agencies unravelled the mysterious human trafficking syndicate which has been recruiting Kenyans in the guise of work in Moscow, Russia but end up joining Russian military.
The group is later deployed to the war front with Ukraine.
This success was borne out of a multi-agency approach where officers drawn across security agencies focused on the vice after it was established Kenyans were being duped to pay huge amounts to secure employment in Russia but end up fighting with Ukraine forces where some are reported to be killed and those who survive are maimed, bear wounds of torture or a psychologically disturbed.
Two Kenyans returned to the country recently from Russia and one is admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital.
A man accused of running the human trafficking syndicate was detained for ten days to allow police to complete investigations.
The Kahawa Law Courts ordered that Edward Kamau Gituku be held at Muthaiga Police Station after prosecutors from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) applied for his continued detention.
He is accused of involvement in a syndicate trafficking Kenyans to Russia to join the war against Ukraine.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) told the court that Gituku was arrested on September 25, 2025 at Great Wall Gardens estate in Athi River, Machakos County, where officers rescued 22 Kenyan nationals suspected to be victims of human trafficking.
Police said Gituku was the tenant of several houses where the victims had been sheltered.
“The officers gained entry into several houses at Great Wall Gardens in Athi river which were two and three bedroomed houses and managed to rescue twenty-two Kenyan nationals suspected to be victims of human trafficking,” read the court documents
The DCI through Sergeant Bramwel Saima of the Transnational Organised Crimes Unit said they recovered several passports and a Samsung Galaxy phone from the suspect.
Saima alleged that some victims had already been trafficked to Moscow, with one now hospitalised in Nairobi after returning from Russia for urgent surgery.
“One of the victims who had been trafficked to Russia is currently hospitalised in Kenya and he’s set to undergo a surgery medical procedure after returning from Russia,” read court documents.
The police asked for more time to record statements from the victims, conduct an identification parade, and subject the seized phone to forensic examination.
Gituku is being investigated for trafficking in persons contrary to the Counter Trafficking in Persons Act, 2010.
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