Kenyan Woman Heartbroken as Son Allegedly Tricked Into Fighting in Russian Military Goes Missing
- A Kenyan woman has raised an alarm about the disappearance of her son, who travelled to Russia for work
- Jane Wangari Kibocho shared the last communication she had with her son, Reuben, after he left the country
- Russia has been accused in the past of luring some people from Africa to fight in its ongoing war in Ukraine
A Kenyan woman is concerned about the seeming disappearance of her son, who reportedly travelled to Russia for work.
Jane Wangari Kibocho said her son, Reuben, was promised employment in Russia but is believed to have been caught up in its war with Ukraine.
Source: Youtube
The mother of five told TUKO.co.ke she had not heard from Reuben since October 8.
She said the last conversation she had with him involved a request for prayers.
“He called and asked for prayers. He told me to pray hard for him because things were not good. That was the last time I heard my son’s voice, making a painful request."
Reuben had just returned from Somalia, where he had worked as a construction worker.
His mom said he was not making much money there.
However, he said he was part of a group of people who had gotten a security job abroad via an agency.
She initially had no idea his destination was Russia.
“He said the first group had already left, but he was still in Kenya because some of his documents weren’t ready. After a few days, he called and told me that his papers were now complete and he was leaving. I didn’t know he was going to a dangerous place. I just thought it was like the other jobs he’d gone for and returned safely.”
The single mum said her son later told her that he did not find the security job as earlier promised, but was instead informed that he and other Kenyans would be trained to become Russian soldiers.
Previous reports have found that Russia has been luring some people from Africa to fight for it in its war on Ukraine.
The Telegraph, for example, reported that some Africans are being lured by Russia to fight in its war on Ukraine via shampoo factory ads.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, having annexed Crimea in 2014.
Source: Getty Images
At least one million Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded since the assault began, according to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
While the great majority of recruits are poor Russians, the need for new manpower has led the government to recruit elsewhere, as well as import 10,000 soldiers from North Korea.
British-Ghanaian linked to London arson attack
YEN.com.gh also reported that a British-Ghanaian in the UK, Nii Mensah, was among three men found guilty of an arson attack on a London warehouse linked to Ukraine in July 2025.
The 23-year-old was implicated alongside other convicts, Jakeem Rose, aged 23, and Ugnius Asmena, aged 20, and was convicted of aggravated arson with the intent to endanger life.
The attack was found to have been carried out on behalf of the Russian state-funded Wagner Group. Around £1 million in damage was caused by the arson attack in East London.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
