In Kenya, families are protesting over the deployment of their sons to Russian forces to fight against Ukraine. It is known that the Russian Orthodox Church is involved in the recruitment.

Protesters are demanding that the government ban the recruitment of Kenyans into the army of the Russian Federation, FREEДOM reports.

Earlier, the National Intelligence Service of Kenya (NIS) said in a report to parliament that Russia had drawn about a thousand citizens of this African country into the war against Ukraine. According to data as of February 2026, at least 89 Kenyans were directly on the front line.

Earlier we wrote that the African Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) is luring Kenyans into the war in Ukraine. Young citizens of Kenya are offered the chance to travel to Russia for work or study, with the church promising to sponsor the trip.

Kenyans are brought to Russia on tourist visas. They are promised salaries ranging from 350,000 to 400,000 Kenyan shillings, about 3,000 dollars, but they never receive the money. Upon arrival in Russia, their documents are confiscated, bank accounts are opened for them that are in fact controlled by commanders, and after that they are sent to the front.

As LF reported, the Kremlin uses the Russian Orthodox Church as an instrument of influence in Africa and recruits local residents with its help to take part in the war against Ukraine.

It is known that the Russian Orthodox Church considers Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda to be key countries for developing its mission in Africa. This was stated by Metropolitan Konstantin (Ostrovskiy) of Cairo and North Africa.

Earlier it also became known that the Russian Orthodox Church officially approved its presence in Cameroon through the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa.

Earlier we wrote about how Russia is “reformatting” Africa and the Global South.