Ukrainian forces say they have captured a Kenyan national serving in the Russian army during fighting near Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast, raising fresh concerns about Moscow’s recruitment of foreign fighters.
The 57th Motorized Infantry Brigade announced on Sept. 17 that its soldiers detained the man, who identified himself as Evans.
In a video released by the brigade, Evans said he had traveled to Russia as a tourist but was tricked into signing a military contract.
“I ended up in Russia without knowing that I had been enlisted in the Russian army. I had never served before,” he said. “I didn’t go to Russia for that.”
Evans claimed that a man who hosted him in Russia offered him a “job” and asked him to sign documents, only to confiscate his passport and phone afterward.
Soon after, he was taken to a military camp, where he underwent a week of basic training before being sent to the front. He described chaotic conditions in the camp, with recruits shouted at and physically manhandled.
Fearing for his life, Evans said he fled to Ukrainian troops, who provided him with food and water. He added that the Russian army units he encountered included other foreigners from Belarus, Tajikistan and several African countries.
Kenya, which relies heavily on Ukrainian grain imports, has been hit hard by global food supply disruptions since the region’s conflict begun in 2022.
We have reached out to Ukraine, Russia and the Kenya Government for a comment.
