Protesters maintain placards at a small demonstration held by Ukrainians, Russians and Kenyans towards Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in entrance of the Russian Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, on Feb. 26, 2022.
AP
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AP
NAIROBI, Kenya — A brand new Kenyan intelligence report says that 1,000 Kenyans had been recruited to struggle for Russia in Ukraine after being misled with false guarantees of jobs in Russia earlier than being despatched to the entrance strains.
The report was offered to parliament on Wednesday by parliamentary chief Kimani Ichung’wah, who accused Russian embassy officers of colluding with work recruitment companies to dupe Kenyans into believing they’d be given expert jobs in Russia. He mentioned the Russian embassy officers issued them vacationer visas.
The Russian Embassy in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, denied the allegations, saying in a press release Thursday that it by no means issued visas to anybody meaning to journey to Russia to struggle in Ukraine. It added: “the Russian Federation doesn’t preclude residents of international international locations from voluntarily enlisting within the armed forces.”
Ichung’wah instructed parliament that mentioned the Nationwide Intelligence Service report reveals that 89 Kenyans had been on the entrance line, 39 had been hospitalized, 28 had been lacking in motion, others had returned house, and at the least one was confirmed useless. The report additionally supplies particulars concerning the recruitment companies that allegedly took Kenyans to Russia.
He warned that any Kenyan officers working within the nation’s embassy in Moscow could be held accountable if they’re discovered to have colluded within the scheme.
Dozens of Kenyan households have in current weeks urged the federal government to convey again family members stranded in Russia, with some allegedly compelled to struggle on the entrance strains and others held as prisoners of struggle in Ukraine.
Kenyan recruits who’ve returned to the nation have given accounts of being promised expert jobs similar to electricians and plumbers. They are saying they signed contracts written in Russian and had been despatched to battle with little or no navy coaching.
Kenya’s international ministry had beforehand acknowledged the issue, and urged residents to watch out.
Two recruiters had been arrested final yr and launched on bail as they await trial.
