The Russian government has distanced itself from a man accused of recruiting Kenyans to fight in Ukraine. In a statement issued on Saturday, September 27, the Russian Embassy in Nairobi clarified that the individual was neither arrested nor deported, contrary to widespread media reports.
According to the embassy, Kenyan security officers escorted the Russian citizen to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on the evening of Thursday, September 25, for questioning. He was later released and departed the country on Friday, September 26, in line with his prior travel plans.
“Diplomats of the Russian Embassy in Nairobi provided the necessary consular and legal assistance to the Russian citizen and also ensured his legal rights were not violated,” the embassy stated. It added that Kenyan authorities did not share any official charges or claims against the individual.
The embassy further stressed that the man has no ties to the Russian government or the embassy in Nairobi. “Russian governmental bodies have never employed the individual,” the statement noted, dismissing suggestions of state involvement.
The clarification follows reports that the suspect was at the center of a human trafficking scheme allegedly designed to send unsuspecting Kenyans to fight in Ukraine. Police said they rescued 22 people from a residential building in Athi River, where they had been housed while awaiting travel documents.
Investigators claim the victims were lured with promises of lucrative jobs in Russia but were instead being prepared for forced military deployment. Some had reportedly signed contracts with a local employment agency, committing to pay as much as $18,000 (Ksh2.3 million) for visas, travel, and accommodation.
Kenyan authorities had earlier indicated that the suspect was detained and presented in court, with police granted extra time to pursue investigations. The Russian Embassy, however, insists the individual left the country voluntarily and was never officially charged.
