Ukraine Warns Foreign Workers as African Recruitment to War Grows

Ukraine’s military intelligence has issued a fresh caution to foreign nationals about travelling to Russia or accepting informal work there, warning of the risk of being pushed into frontline assault units with limited training and low chances of survival an alert that comes as reports of African recruitment into the war continue to mount Based on reporting by BBC News. 

The warning has renewed focus on a growing pattern described by African families, rights groups and officials: young men leaving home for overseas jobs, only to later find themselves tied to military contracts and deployed to eastern Ukraine. In Kenya, one recent case has sharpened public concern after relatives said they were left without clear official communication as they tried to confirm what happened and how to bring a loved one home.

Kenyan case highlights recruitment route concerns

According to the BBC report shared in your excerpt, 29-year-old Clinton Nyapara Mogesa left Kenya for work in Qatar in 2024 and later told relatives he was travelling to Russia. Ukrainian authorities later said he was killed in Donetsk during a high-casualty assault operation, and alleged that Russian forces did not evacuate his body. The family is seeking answers and support to repatriate his remains, saying they have had little clarity from official channels.

Relatives told media they stayed in contact during a short training period in Russia, but communication later stopped. Family members described financial strain and said Mogesa had been supporting relatives, including paying for medical needs at home.

Wider concern in Kenya and beyond

Kenyan officials have previously acknowledged the issue publicly. In late 2025, Kenya’s foreign affairs ministry said recruitment networks were still active and that more than 200 Kenyans were known to be fighting for Russia in Ukraine, according to multiple reports.

Rights groups have also reported tracking deaths and disappearances linked to the conflict. In January 2026, Kenyan outlet reported families appealing for government intervention amid claims of forced recruitment and deaths involving Kenyans in Russia and Ukraine.

Ukraine’s intelligence warning frames this as not only a Kenya story, but a broader risk affecting foreign nationals particularly those drawn by job offers and informal work arrangements at a time when reports continue to point to Africans being recruited into Russia’s war effort.

Source: BBC news