Kenya Russia Recruits
Susan Khandasi Kuloba, 41, the mother of David Shitanda, one of the Kenyans who joined the Russian army in Ukraine, holds his photo during an interview with The Associated Press in the informal settlement of Kibera, Nairobi, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026.
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Police in Kenya say they arrested a man named in the alleged scheme that duped Kenyans with promises of skilled work in Russia that saw them end up on the front lines of the fighting in Ukraine. Festus Omwamba was arrested on suspicion of human trafficking Wednesday in northern Kenya near the border with Ethiopia. Police spokesperson Michael Muchiri says Omwamba was fleeing after returning to the country from Russia. The Kenyan government last week said more than 1,000 Kenyans were recruited to fight for Russia in Ukraine.