Ukraine Recovers Bodies of Two Kenyans Killed Near Lyman Front Line

The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine has confirmed the recovery of the bodies of two Kenyan nationals near the city of Lyman in the Donetsk region.

The men, Ombwori Denis Bagaka, 39, and Wahome Simon Gititu, 35, were found alongside the remains of another Kenyan, Clinton Nyapara Mogesa, who had been killed in the same area. Ukrainian officials stated that the three had been recruited while working in Qatar, where they were employed by private security firms. Promised well-paid contracts, they were instead channelled into Russia’s military system and sent to the front lines.

Their recruitment was reportedly arranged by a Kyrgyz national, Salizhan Uulu Almamet, who acted as their representative in Russia. Almamet is said to have signed contracts with the Russian army on their behalf and taken control of their financial accounts, binding them to military service.

The Kenyans were taken to a recruitment centre in Yaroslavl in late 2025 before being transferred to the Pogonovo training ground near Voronezh. Ukrainian intelligence describes this facility as hosting a “penal battalion,” where prisoners, deserters, addicts, and foreign recruits are grouped together. 

Captured Russian soldiers have testified that such battalions are often deployed on missions with little chance of survival. Bagaka, Gititu, and Mogesa were placed in this unit and sent to attack Ukrainian positions in Donbas.

Their first combat mission ended in their deaths. Ukrainian forces eliminated the group as they advanced through what was described as a “kill zone” near Lyman. According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russian commanders made no effort to support or evacuate the mercenaries, leaving them to die during the operation.

In its statement, the agency condemned Russia’s treatment of foreign recruits, describing them as expendable resources in a war of attrition. It further alleged that the deaths of mercenaries provide opportunities for recruiters and intermediaries to profit from “coffin payments,” compensation linked to fatalities.

The deaths of the Kenyan fighters highlight the risks faced by foreign nationals drawn into Russia’s military system. Ukrainian officials warn that individuals seeking employment in Russia or through its networks abroad may be coerced into “suicide squads” and lose their lives in combat.

Analysts note that such recruitment exposes both the strain on Moscow’s military and the exploitation of workers abroad who are misled into contracts that lead to combat rather than security work. The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine has pledged to continue documenting such cases, presenting them as evidence of Russia’s disregard for human life. 

For Kenya, the deaths of Bagaka, Gititu, and Mogesa serve as a warning of the dangers posed to citizens abroad by recruitment networks linked to the war.