Ruto Secures Putin Deal to Stop Recruitment of Kenyans Into Russian Military, Promises Compensation

President William Ruto has announced a major agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the recruitment of Kenyan citizens into the Russian military following high-level talks at the Kremlin in Moscow.The agreement, reached on Thursday, October 29, 2026, will see Kenya designated a non-source country for recruitment into the Russian armed forces, effectively closing official recruitment channels through which Kenyans have been enlisted to fight in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.