The government has announced the successful rescue and repatriation of 18 Kenyans who had been recruited into the Russia-Ukraine conflict after sending distress calls from military camps.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the Kenyans were traced, issued with emergency travel documents and facilitated to return home safely.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the returnees, alongside their families, will undergo counselling and reintegration programmes to support their recovery and return to normal life.
Mudavadi revealed that recruitment into the Russian military has increasingly targeted Africans, with credible reports indicating that more than 200 Kenyans may have been affected.
The government is engaging Russian and Ukrainian authorities to secure the release of other stranded Kenyans, including those injured or allegedly held as prisoners of war.
To curb exploitation, the government has moved to tighten licensing, vetting and monitoring of recruitment agencies through the National Employment Authority.
