A Kenyan man has reportedly been killed while fighting for the Russian army in Ukraine, barely a month after he left Nairobi for what he believed was a driving job in Russia.
Documents seen by The Star indicate that Martin Macharia Mburu died on November 27, 2025, alongside a Nigerian national, after an alleged Ukrainian attack. Their passports were recovered with their remains, along with Russian documentation and air tickets showing Mburu departed Kenya on October 21, 2025.
News of Mburu’s death surfaced shortly after Kirinyaga Central MP Joseph Gitari requested a formal statement in Parliament on the alleged forced recruitment of Mburu and another Kenyan, Peter Kimemia Kamanu, into the Russian military. Gitari also demanded an update on investigations and details of steps taken by Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs to secure their repatriation.
“The two are said to have undergone only three days of training before being deployed to the frontlines of the Russia-Ukraine conflict,” Gitari told the National Assembly, warning that the case raises “grave concerns about the safety and welfare of Kenyans seeking legitimate opportunities abroad.”
Neither Mburu nor Kamanu had prior military experience, he added.
Mburu is now the first publicly confirmed Kenyan killed while fighting for the Russian armed forces. Another Kenyan, Evans Kibet, surrendered to Ukrainian forces and remains a prisoner of war.
Recruitment Networks Under Scrutiny
Mburu’s departure came weeks after a Russian national, believed to be involved in recruiting Kenyans for the Russian army, was deported from Nairobi. His arrest followed the discovery by a multi-agency security team of 21 Kenyans in Athi River who were allegedly being trafficked to Russia with promises of high-paying jobs.
The Russian Embassy in Kenya, however, denied that the deported individual, Mikhail Lyapin, was involved in any illegal recruitment and insisted reports surrounding his case were misleading.
Moscow has repeatedly denied any claims of forced or illegal conscription of foreign nationals into its military. Following bilateral talks on Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei said Russia reaffirmed its “policy of intolerance toward involuntary recruitment of non-nationals.”
More Than 200 Kenyans Fighting for Russia
Despite the denials, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who oversees the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, recently disclosed that more than 200 Kenyans are currently fighting for Russia in Ukraine, some of them former members of Kenya’s security forces.
Kenya has already repatriated at least four citizens from Russia in recent weeks and says the process is ongoing. Mudavadi warned Kenyans against engaging unregistered recruitment agents promising lucrative work abroad.
He also said Kenya and Russia are working on a Bilateral Labour Agreement aimed at preventing exploitation and ensuring Kenyans access only legitimate employment opportunities.
Jordan Also Reports Deaths of Its Nationals
Kenya is not the only country grappling with the issue. Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced it is investigating the deaths of two Jordanian citizens who were recruited to fight alongside Russian forces.
Ministry spokesperson Fuad Al-Majali said officials are tracking deceptive networks attempting to enlist Jordanians illegally, warning that such operations violate national and international law. Jordan has formally demanded that Russia stop recruiting its nationals and cease the deployment of any Jordanians already serving in its forces.
Al-Majali urged citizens to report any attempts to recruit them into foreign militaries, cautioning that such involvement carries “severe legal and security implications.”
Jordanian authorities say they are also pursuing online networks believed to be facilitating the illegal enlistment of foreign fighters.
