Ukrainian forces captured a Kenyan citizen serving in the Russian army near the town of Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast, the 57th Motorized Infantry Brigade reported on Wednesday. The man, who identified himself as Evans, said he had been deceived into joining the Russian military.
Evans, an athlete in civilian life, said he traveled to Russia as a tourist and was tricked into enlisting. “I ended up in Russia without knowing that I had been enlisted in the Russian army. I had never served before,” he said in a video released by the brigade, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
According to Evans, a host in Russia offered him a “job” and presented documents to sign, which turned out to be a military contract. His passport and phone were confiscated, and he was taken to a military camp where recruits endured chaotic conditions and harsh treatment.
After a week of basic training, Evans fled to Ukrainian troops, who provided him with food and water. He said he feared being killed if he returned to the Russian army. Other recruits included Russians, Belarusians, Tajiks, and Africans.
This incident highlights Russia’s broader pattern of recruiting foreigners to fight in Ukraine, sometimes through deceptive methods. Kenya, which depends heavily on Ukrainian grain, has condemned Russia’s invasion, with President William Ruto calling the war unjust.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously reported that Russian units in Kharkiv Oblast included foreign mercenaries from China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and several African countries. Moscow has also intensified outreach in Africa through propaganda outlets and recruitment efforts.
