Ruto says Putin has agreed Russia will stop recruiting Kenyans into its army

President William Ruto says Russia will no longer recruit Kenyans into its military, after he held talks with President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on Friday. Ruto said Putin confirmed that Kenya has been classed as a "non-source country" for recruitment into the Russian army.

Ruto said he has appointed a defence attaché at Kenya's embassy in Moscow, who will work with Russia's Ministry of Defence on the return of Kenyans who went to Russia for military purposes, on compensation for them, and on their safe return home. He did not say how many people this would cover or when they would return.

The National Intelligence Service has told Parliament that more than 1,000 Kenyans were recruited. An investigation published this month by Journalists for Justice counted at least 76 Kenyans killed fighting for Russia, out of 841 recruited between October 2022 and June 2026. Families have been pressing the government for answers about relatives who are dead or missing.

Ruto said the two leaders also agreed to negotiate a labour agreement that would allow Kenyans to live and work in Russia, and discussed raising Russian scholarships for Kenyan students from 70 to 300 in fields including health, artificial intelligence, aviation and cyber security. He said Putin committed to support the expansion of the United Nations Office in Nairobi, and that he invited Putin to visit Kenya.

The two countries signed five agreements during the Russia-Africa summit, Ruto said, covering an intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation, labour inspection and employment, transport, visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic and service passports, and diplomatic training. The outcomes of the talks are as stated by Ruto. Putin's own remarks at the meeting focused on shared positions on international issues, Russia's support for the UN office in Nairobi and 70 scholarships for Kenyan students next year; they did not mention recruitment.