The push follows a striking intelligence briefing to parliament this week revealing that more than 1,000 Kenyans are currently involved in the conflict—a sharp increase from the 200 fighters previously disclosed in November by Musalia Mudavadi, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs.

In Nairobi on Friday, Principal Secretary Korir Sing'Oei met with Vsevolod Tkachenko, Russia’s Ambassador to Kenya, to formally raise the government’s alarm. 

According to an official statement, Sing’Oei demanded unimpeded consular access to Kenyans detained in the conflict and requested clear, verifiable procedures for repatriating the remains of those confirmed dead. "Our priority remains the safety and dignity of every Kenyan abroad,” he said, adding that Nairobi expects full cooperation in dismantling illegal pathways used to recruit Kenyans into the conflict.

The Russian Embassy in Kenya has denied claims of state-directed recruitment, describing media reports as "dangerous and misleading propaganda.” Nonetheless, Kenyan security officials attribute the surge to unlicensed recruitment agencies that allegedly entice job seekers with false promises of construction or security work abroad. Many recruits reportedly transit through multiple African countries before reaching Russia, a pattern that complicates Kenya’s ability to intervene or track their movements.

The growing presence of African fighters in the conflict has drawn wider international concern. In November 2025, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga reported that at least 1,436 individuals from 36 African states had been identified within Russian ranks. 

Kenyan authorities hope that Mudavadi’s scheduled visit to Moscow in March will produce enforceable agreements on repatriation procedures and stronger oversight to stem illegal foreign military recruitment.