Four Kenyans are among foreign fighters killed while serving with Russian forces in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian Military Intelligence.

The four; Eric Mwangi Nyambura (22), Joseph Kamau Wanjiru, Joel Ngure Karithi and Ronald Kipkurui Kibet, were killed after a Ukrainian mortar strike hit their position near Borova in the Kharkiv region in early 2026.

The group is reported to have travelled to Russia in late October 2025, where they signed military contracts in Yaroslavl before undergoing just over a week of training.

Nyambura was initially deployed as a radio operator but was later reassigned to a frontline assault unit.

The government has disclosed that at least 252 Kenyans may have been recruited into military operations linked to the Russian Federation.

Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said 47 Kenyans have so far been rescued and repatriated with the support of Kenya’s embassy in Moscow.

Ukrainian officials say the incident underscores the risks faced by foreign recruits, warning that many are given minimal training and quickly sent into high-risk combat zones.

Defence Intelligence of Ukraine says nearly 3,000 Africans have signed contracts with the Russian army despite agreements to halt recruitment.

DIU has identified Kenya, Egypt, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Algeria, Mali, South Sudan and South Africa as the top source countries.

As of August 2025, at least 316 African recruits had been confirmed killed, with actual figures feared to be significantly higher.