A Kenyan man has reportedly been killed while fighting for the Russian army in Ukraine, barely a month after he left Kenya for what he believed was a driving job.

Documents seen by The Star identify the deceased as Martin Macharia Mburu. He is said to have been killed on November 27, 2025, in an attack attributed to Ukrainian forces, alongside a Nigerian national. Their passports were recovered with their remains, together with Russian documents and air tickets showing Mburu departed Kenya on October 21, 2025.

News of Mburu’s death emerged after Kirinyaga Central MP Joseph Gitari sought a statement from the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations regarding the alleged forced recruitment of Mburu and another Kenyan, Peter Kimemia Kamanu, into the Russian military.

Gitari also demanded an update on ongoing investigations into the alleged recruitment, as well as the steps taken by the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs to engage the Russian government on the pair’s repatriation.

“The two are said to have undergone only three days of training before being deployed to the frontlines of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This incident raises grave concerns about the safety and welfare of Kenyans seeking legitimate opportunities abroad, as well as the effectiveness of our diplomatic interventions,” Gitari told the National Assembly.
According to the MP, neither Mburu nor Kamanu had previous military experience.

Mburu’s death is the first publicly confirmed case of a Kenyan killed while fighting for Russia. Another Kenyan, Evans Kibet, reportedly surrendered to Ukrainian forces and is now a prisoner of war.

Travel records show Mburu left Kenya about a month after the deportation of a Russian national believed to have played a key role in recruiting Kenyans to fight for Russia. His arrest followed a multi-agency security operation in Athi River that uncovered 21 Kenyans who were about to be trafficked to Russia with promises of high-paying jobs.

However, the Russian Embassy in Kenya later stated that reports surrounding Mikhail Lyapin’s deportation were misleading, saying he was already scheduled to leave the country on that date.

This comes weeks after the Russian Embassy in Nairobi denied any forced or illegal recruitment of foreign nationals into its military. Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei confirmed receiving assurances from Russian Ambassador Vsevolod Tkachenko during high-level talks in Nairobi.

“I am grateful for the assurances of the Russian Federation of her policy of intolerance towards involuntary recruitment of non-nationals into their security forces,” Sing’oei said.

Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi has stated that more than 200 Kenyans are currently fighting for Russia in the Ukraine conflict, including some former members of Kenya’s security forces.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recently repatriated at least four Kenyans who had been deployed to the frontlines, saying the exercise is ongoing.

Despite the growing number of reported cases, the ministry insists it is still working with Russia on a labour agreement designed to prevent exploitation of Kenyans seeking employment there.

“The Government of Kenya, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is keen on strengthening relations with the Russian Federation on economic and other areas of mutual interest. Both governments are working closely on a Bilateral Labour Agreement that will ensure Kenyans have access to genuine job opportunities in Russia,” Mudavadi said on October 27.
He also warned Kenyans to beware of unregistered agents offering overseas jobs.

Meanwhile, Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it is investigating the deaths of two Jordanian citizens who were recruited to fight alongside Russian forces, citing a rise in illegal foreign recruitment targeting Jordanians.

The Ministry’s Directorate of Operations and Consular Affairs said on Thursday that it is “following up on the details related to the killing of two Jordanian citizens after their recruitment to fight with the Russian army.”

Ministry spokesperson Fuad Al-Majali warned of deceptive networks attempting to enlist Jordanians illegally, noting that such activities violate domestic and international law. He urged the public to report any recruitment attempts linked to the Russian military and said Jordan has formally demanded that Russia cease the recruitment of its nationals and discharge any Jordanians already serving.

“The Ministry will take all available measures to stop this process,” he said, adding that authorities are also tracking online networks involved in the illegal recruitment and coordinating with national agencies to hold offenders accountable.