Russia has agreed to stop recruiting citizens from Kenya to fight in the war in Ukraine, according to Kenya’s foreign minister after diplomatic talks in Moscow.
Speaking after meeting Sergei Lavrov, Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi said both countries had reached an understanding that Kenyans would no longer be enlisted to fight for the Russian military.
Kenyan intelligence estimates that more than 1,000 Kenyan citizens may have already been sent to the battlefield, while Ukrainian figures suggest that about 1,780 people from 36 African countries are fighting on Russia’s side in the conflict.
Mudavadi said the agreement was reached after growing concern among Kenyans about their citizens being recruited to participate in the war.
Lavrov, however, said Russia does not force anyone to join the army. According to him, people who participate in what Russia calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine do so voluntarily and according to Russian law.
The talks highlight the international impact of the Ukraine war, which has drawn fighters and political attention from many countries beyond Europe.
Source: TRT Africa
