By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
The government has dismissed reports that five Kenyans are among hundreds of macenaries funding for Ukraine.
Russian listed Kenya among countries that have individuals recruited as fighters in the ongoing fight with Ukraine.
But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the claim as false.In a statement on Friday, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Sing’oei Korir said the government was not aware of any mercenary presence in the said country.
“The Republic of Kenya notes the Russian Federation’s report on the Number of Foreign Mercenaries in Ukraine published on the X handle of @mfa_russia,” read part of the statement.
“As a signatory to the 1989 United Nations Convention on International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries and the 1977 OAU Convention for the Elimination of Mercenaries in Africa, Kenya rejects the allegations and dissociates herself from any alleged mercenary presence and activities in Ukraine,” it added.
Russian claimed over 13,000 mercenaries from across the globe have been recruited to fight against them on Ukrainian.
However, it noted that over 5,000 have already been killed.
“Starting Feb 24, 2022, a total 13,387 foreign mercenaries have arrived in Ukraine to fight for the neo-Nazis. Of those, 5,962 have been eliminated,” Russian Ministry of Defense posted on their verified X handle on March 14, 2024.
It listed countries in which the mercenaries are from, with Kenya being among them.
In African countries, Nigeria has the highest number of mercenaries alleged by Russian at 93.
Majority of those alleged to have been recruited are from Europe and America.
But while denying Kenyan presence in the country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs further said “the nation’s interaction with other State Actors of International Relations continues to be guided by her foreign policy of non-interference in affairs of other states, non-allignme as well as peaceful settlement of disputes.”
