A family from Timboroa, Baringo County, is in distress after receiving information that their son, who travelled to Russia for studies last year, may have died in the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Kevin Kang’u travelled to Russia in September last year under a Russian government scholarship programme that required him to first serve in the country’s military for a year.

Days after joining frontline fighters, the family lost contact with him, only to receive information last week that Kevin died in early December last year.

In Timboroa Village, Baringo County, residents were seen comforting the family of Senior Chief Jacob Njehia after receiving news that their 25-year-old son, Kevin Kang’u, had died in the war between Russia and Ukraine, where he had travelled under an education sponsorship programme that required him to first serve as a soldier for between six months and one year.

Kevin joined a battalion that had six other Kenyans, where they received military training, during which he maintained close contact with his family, promising to turn around the family’s fortunes.

After training for a month, Kevin and his peers were deployed to the frontline. As the war intensified, he sent messages to his father informing him of the situation before his phone went offline.

In early December, Kevin sent a distress message using a Russian soldier’s phone, requesting the Kenyan government to facilitate his rescue.

Towards the end of December, Njehia received another message from a Kenyan who informed him that they had been attacked and that Kevin was fine, but he also went offline afterwards.

The family remained in the dark until last week when another Kenyan from a different battalion informed them that their son had died in the war.

Njehia has since reported the matter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hoping that Kevin’s body will be recovered and repatriated to Kenya for a dignified burial.

The incident adds to the growing number of Kenyans who have found themselves caught up in the Russia–Ukraine war while seeking better opportunities in life.