"We have now agreed that Kenyans shall not be enlisted, the Kenyan foreign minister, Musalia Mudavadi, told reporters, sitting alongside the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov. Since ordering troops into Ukraine in 2022, Russia has been widely accused of recruiting people from other nationalities to fight alongside its army."
"Kenyan long-distance runner Evans Kibet captured by Ukraine and held as a prisoner of war told AFP in an interview from the facility where he was detained that he had been tricked into signing an army contract after going to Russia for a sporting event."
"More than 1,780 citizens from 36 African countries are believed to be fighting alongside Russia in Ukraine, according to Ukraine's estimates in February. Kenya's intelligence services estimate more than 1,000 Kenyans have been sent to fight, according to a report seen by Agence France-Presse (AFP)."
Kenya's foreign minister announced that Russia has agreed to cease recruiting Kenyan citizens to fight in Ukraine following diplomatic discussions with his Russian counterpart in Moscow. Kenya's intelligence estimates over 1,000 Kenyans have been sent to fight, while Ukraine reports more than 1,780 citizens from 36 African countries are fighting alongside Russian forces. Russia has faced widespread accusations of recruiting foreign nationals since its 2022 invasion. The Russian foreign minister claimed Kenyans voluntarily signed contracts, though a captured Kenyan runner reported being deceived into signing after attending a sporting event. The agreement represents a diplomatic effort to address the recruitment issue affecting African nations.
#russia-kenya-diplomacy #foreign-recruitment-in-ukraine-war #african-soldiers-in-conflict #military-recruitment-practices
Read at www.theguardian.com
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