Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Korir Sing’oei has said the government will intensify diplomatic engagements in the coming weeks to secure the release of Kenyans who were irregularly recruited into the Russia–Ukraine war.

PS Sing’oei announced on his X post on Sunday, February 8, 2026, noting that Kenya is stepping up efforts to trace and free citizens who were deceived into joining the conflict under the guise of employment opportunities.

Diplomatic efforts stepped up

“Over the next couple of weeks, we shall be expanding our diplomatic efforts to pursue the release of Kenyans irregularly recruited to serve on the frontlines of this conflict,” PS Sing’oei stated in a post on X dated February 8, 2026.

The remarks come amid mounting concern over reports that Kenyan youths were lured abroad with promises of lucrative jobs, only to find themselves deployed in active combat zones.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not disclosed the exact number of Kenyans still trapped in the conflict but has indicated that engagements are ongoing through Kenya’s diplomatic missions, including the embassy in Moscow.

Nearly 20 Kenyans rescued

A day earlier, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi confirmed that nearly 20 Kenyan youths have already been rescued following diplomatic interventions.

Speaking during a burial ceremony in Kakamega on February 7, 2027, Mudavadi said: “I want to use this platform to confirm that the government of Kenya has rescued 20 Kenyans who have been lured into fake recruitment scams, only to end up on the battle frontlines.”

Mudavadi did not reveal the countries or regions from which the Kenyans were evacuated, citing potential diplomatic sensitivities surrounding the operations.

He noted that the victims were misled by recruitment networks exploiting the desperation of job seekers, particularly those seeking employment opportunities abroad.

Deaths confirmed in Ukraine

The government statements follow confirmation by Ukrainian authorities that the bodies of three Kenyan men were recovered in the conflict-hit Donetsk region on February 6, 2026.

The deceased were identified as Ombwori Denis Bagaka, 39, Wahome Simon Gititu, 34, and Clinton Nyapara Mogesa, 28.

According to family accounts and intelligence reports, the three had been working as security guards in Qatar when they were approached with high-paying job offers in Russia in late 2025.

Upon arrival, they were coerced into joining a penal battalion, trained at the Pogonovo facility, and later assigned to Unit No. 11097, a formation largely composed of foreign recruits and convicts.

Their first combat deployment near Lyman proved fatal after they were sent into what Ukrainian sources described as a designated kill zone. Mogesa’s body was recovered around January 31, 2026, carrying the passports of his two compatriots, aiding identification.