Kenyan man dies fighting for Russia, Ukraine says

A Kenyan man who had been recruited to serve in the Russian armed forces has been killed in combat in eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence has identified the deceased as 28-year-old Clinton Nyapara Mogesa, a Kenyan citizen whose body was allegedly discovered at one of the positions previously held by Russian forces in the Donetsk region.

In a statement, Ukrainian authorities said Mogesa was killed during what they described as a “meat assault” — a term used to refer to high-casualty frontal attacks involving poorly trained soldiers.

According to the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), Mogesa had been living and working in Qatar before travelling to Russia, where he later signed a contract with the Russian military.

The intelligence agency said he underwent only brief training before being deployed to the front lines in eastern Ukraine and assigned to one of Russia’s assault units operating in Donetsk.

“Mogesa left a job in Qatar, received minimal military training, and was subsequently sent to the combat zone, where he was killed during an assault operation,” the Ukrainian intelligence report said.

His body was later found by Ukrainian forces after the deadly encounter.

Ukrainian authorities further claimed that at the time his body was recovered, Mogesa was carrying passports belonging to two other Kenyan citizens.

Intelligence officials believe the documents belong to fellow Kenyan recruits who may also have been deployed to the front lines, raising concerns that more Kenyans could be involved in the conflict under similar circumstances.

In the same statement, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine issued a warning to foreign nationals against accepting employment offers linked to Russia, cautioning that civilians lured by promises of work or military contracts face significant danger.

“The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine warns foreign citizens against travelling to the Russian Federation or accepting any form of employment on its territory, particularly illegal work,” the statement read. “Travelling to Russia carries a real risk of being forcibly deployed to assault units without adequate training and with little to no chance of survival.”

The death of Mogesa comes amid mounting reports that hundreds of Africans, including Kenyans, have been recruited to fight in the Ukraine war, often after being enticed by employment offers or promises of fast-track income and residency.

Some are believed to have been drawn into military service after arriving in Russia for non-military work.

Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has previously acknowledged receiving distress calls from Kenyans stranded or trapped in the Russian Federation.

In a recent statement, the ministry said that through diplomatic interventions, 18 Kenyan citizens had been successfully rescued, issued with Emergency Travel Documents, and safely repatriated to Kenya.

However, officials have warned that the problem could be far larger. Reports indicate that more than 200 Kenyans may have been recruited into the conflict, with the Kenyan Embassy in Moscow confirming that it has received multiple appeals for help from citizens who claim to have been coerced or misled into joining the war.