Kenyan authorities have rescued 22 people from a suspected human trafficking network that lured victims with fake job offers in Russia but allegedly intended to send them to fight in Ukraine. The operation was carried out on Wednesday in Athi River, a town on the outskirts of Nairobi, during an intelligence-led raid. Police found recruitment materials, travel documents, and job contracts promising lucrative opportunities in Moscow. One suspect accused of coordinating the recruitment between September and October was arrested. A Nairobi court has allowed police to hold him for 10 days while investigations continue.
According to detectives, victims were told to pay up to $18,000 for visas, flights, and accommodation. Some had already deposited as much as $1,500. Police said the recruits signed contracts with an unnamed overseas agency and were awaiting “processing” for travel to Russia at the time of their rescue. “This mysterious syndicate is exploiting desperate job seekers and sending them into conflict zones under the guise of employment,” a senior officer told reporters.
Concerns about Kenyans being trafficked abroad under false promises have been growing. Earlier this year, a young Kenyan athlete was captured in Ukraine after being tricked into joining Russian forces. Authorities have confirmed that some citizens who were recruited have returned home injured, traumatized, or not at all. One survivor is currently receiving treatment in a Nairobi hospital. A senior foreign ministry official said Kenya is tracking reports that several nationals trafficked to Russia may now be prisoners of war in Ukraine.
Ukraine’s spokesperson on the treatment of prisoners of war, Petro Yatsenko, recently told the BBC that fighters from Somalia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Cuba, Sri Lanka, and other countries are also being held. He noted that “most African states show little interest in the return of such citizens and do not wish to take them back.” Kenya’s security agencies have pledged continued crackdowns on trafficking networks targeting vulnerable citizens with promises of overseas jobs.
