February 27, 2026
The Russian Orthodox Church is helping lure Kenyans into the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine
The Russian Orthodox Church’s exarchate in Africa is involved in a scheme recruiting Kenyan citizens to fight in Ukraine, according to journalist Ksenia Luchenko, who covers the Russian Orthodox Church, and the independent investigative outlet iStories, which highlighted a mid-February report by Religion News Service.
TL;DR
- The Russian Orthodox Church's exarchate in Africa is allegedly involved in recruiting Kenyans to fight in Ukraine.
- Priests affiliated with the church reportedly lure young Kenyans with job offers and cover travel expenses.
- Recruits are promised high salaries but rights advocates claim they do not receive the money.
- In Russia, their documents are confiscated, and they are sent to the front lines.
- Kenya's National Intelligence Service estimates over 1,000 Kenyans have been recruited into the Russian army.
- A representative of the Russian Orthodox Church denies Kenyans are sent to fight, stating they are for seminary studies, though military recruitment is mentioned as a possibility.
- Russia has reportedly compiled a list of countries from which mercenary recruitment is prohibited.
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