Ukraine Discovers Bodies of Two Kenyans Killed Fighting for Russia
Ukrainian authorities have recovered the bodies of two Kenyan nationals who were killed while fighting alongside Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, deepening concerns over the recruitment of foreign nationals into the protracted conflict.
In a statement released by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), the deceased were identified as Ombwori Denis Bagaka, born January 30, 1987, and Wahome Simon Gititu, born May 21, 1991. Their bodies were discovered near the city of Lyman in the Donetsk region, close to the remains of another Kenyan national, Clinton Nyapara Mogesa, who had been killed in the same area days earlier.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, the three Kenyans were recruited outside Russia, with initial contacts reportedly made in Qatar, where they had been working for private security firms that promised stable and lucrative incomes. The DIU stated that Bagaka and Mogesa arrived at a Russian recruitment centre in Yaroslavl on September 27, 2025, while Gititu joined them about a month later, on October 28.
After undergoing a brief training period, the three were deployed to the Donbas region and assigned to an assault unit tasked with advancing toward Lyman, an area that has seen intense fighting. Ukrainian forces described the zone as heavily fortified and extremely dangerous.
In its briefing, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine said the three were killed during combat operations. “As the mercenaries advanced through a designated kill zone, units of the Ukrainian Defence Forces engaged the enemy, resulting in the elimination of the group,” the statement read.
The intelligence agency further alleged that Russian commanders failed to provide support or evacuation during the assault. “The Russian command did not take measures to support or evacuate the foreign fighters during or after the engagement,” the DIU added, noting that identification documents recovered from the bodies confirmed their Kenyan nationality.
Mogesa’s body was reportedly found six days earlier at a former Russian position in Donetsk following another failed assault. Ukrainian officials said he had also previously lived and worked in Qatar before signing a contract with the Russian army and being assigned to a frontline assault unit. His body, according to the DIU, was not evacuated by Russian forces, and his family has not received official communication from Russian authorities regarding his death.
The revelations come amid growing scrutiny over reports that hundreds of Kenyans have been lured abroad with promises of civilian employment, only to be coerced into military service in Russia. Civil society groups and Kenyan officials have repeatedly warned job seekers against unverified overseas recruitment offers, particularly those linked to conflict zones.
The human toll of the war on Kenyan families was underscored on Thursday, February 5, when relatives of another Kenyan, Charles Wangari, held a memorial service without his body in Mukurweini, Nyeri County. Wangari was killed on Christmas Day while fighting in Ukraine, but his remains could not be retrieved from the battlefield.
Family members gathered around his portrait in a sombre ceremony, reflecting a growing number of Kenyan households left grieving without closure. Wangari, a former Kubali FC player from Laikipia West, had left Kenya hoping to secure a better future in Europe, particularly Sweden, before his journey ended in tragedy.
As investigations continue, Kenyan authorities have reiterated calls for citizens to exercise caution when seeking employment abroad and to verify all recruitment channels through official government offices. The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has also urged families with missing relatives to report cases promptly to enable diplomatic follow-up.
The deaths highlight the far-reaching consequences of the Ukraine war and raise urgent questions about the protection of foreign nationals drawn into the conflict under unclear or deceptive circumstances.
ALSO READ: Ruto Appoints Frank Ole as Denmark Ambassador, Names Deputies to Somalia, Russia and Tanzania
Ukraine Discovers Bodies of Two Kenyans Killed Fighting for Russia
