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Mother warns of Russia job trap after son vanishes in Ukraine
Susan Kuloba begged her 22-year-old son not to take a security job in Russia, fearing the dangers she saw on television. Weeks later, he sent her a photo in combat fatigues and said he was being sent to Ukraine.
From job offer to battlefield
David Kuloba, a casual laborer in Nairobi's Kibera slum, had dreamed of working in the Gulf. When a recruitment agency offered him a security guard position in Russia with a $7,000 signing bonus, his family celebrated. His mother's alarm grew when he revealed the destination.
"He showed me his phone and said: 'Look, it's Russia,'" she told the BBC. "I told him: 'Don't you see what they show on TV about Russia? It's never good.'" Despite her pleas, he left in August, assuring her the job was legitimate.
Within days of arriving, he messaged her from a Russian military base, wearing full uniform. "The job we were told we came to do has been changed," he said, adding that he and other Kenyans had received two weeks of combat training before being deployed to Ukraine.
Ambushed and missing
On October 4, David sent a voice note as he prepared for battle. He shared his Russian military ID and contract details, urging his mother to take them to the embassy if he didn't survive. That was the last she heard from him.
A friend later told her David was feared dead after an ambush in Russian-controlled territory. When she contacted the recruitment agent, she was told he was missing, with no proof of death or location. The agent suggested she travel to Russia herself-a journey the family cannot afford.
"I asked for a picture of his body or confirmation he was in a morgue," Mrs. Kuloba said. "They said he was 'very far away.'" She has received no official response from Russian authorities, who told her at Nairobi's embassy they "do not associate with the army."
Another Kenyan wounded, traumatized
The father of a second Kenyan man, who asked to remain anonymous, said his son was recruited as a driver but ended up in Ukraine after two weeks of military training. Wounded in combat, he spent five days untreated in the field before being evacuated to St. Petersburg.
"He described scattered bodies of other fighters. Many signed one-year contracts without understanding the terms,"
the father told the BBC
The young man returned home two weeks ago but has been too traumatized to speak.
Kenya probes recruitment agencies
Kenya's government confirmed last month that around 200 Kenyans are fighting for Russia, with recruitment networks still active. Parliamentary majority chief whip Sylvanus Osoro said five agencies are under investigation, with three licenses suspended.
"Some agencies lure young people with promises of large payments," Osoro said. "The government is tracking those linked to this fraud." He added that new legislation would tighten licensing controls and clarify job categories.
Families, however, criticize the slow response. Osoro said repatriation must follow diplomatic channels, as contracts were signed "willingly, even if they were not aware." He declined to confirm how many Kenyans may have died.
Africa-wide crisis
The issue extends beyond Kenya. South Africa faces a scandal after allegations that a former president's daughter was involved in recruitment. She denies wrongdoing. Ukrainian officials warn that anyone fighting for Russia will be treated as an enemy combatant, with surrender the only safe exit.
Mrs. Kuloba still hopes for her son's body to be returned. "He wanted to help us," she said. "He thought he was going for a better job."
