The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) has confirmed the deaths of two more Kenyan nationals who were recruited by the Russian Federation to fight in its ongoing war against Ukraine.
According to the DIU, the bodies of Ombwori Denis Bagaka (born January 30, 1987) and Wahome Simon Gititu (born May 21, 1991) were discovered near the city of Lyman in Ukraine’s Donetsk region. Their remains were found close to the body of another Kenyan national, Clinton Nyapara Mogesa, who had previously been confirmed killed in the same area.
Investigations reveal that Bagaka, Gititu, and Mogesa were recruited into Russia’s occupation army while working in Qatar, where they were employed by private security companies and earning stable, relatively high incomes. The men were reportedly lured by false promises and deceptive recruitment networks linked to Russia’s war effort.
Bagaka and Mogesa arrived at a Russian military recruitment center in Yaroslavl on September 27, 2025, while Gititu joined them a month later on October 28.
A key role in facilitating their recruitment was allegedly played by Salizhan Uulu Almamet, a Kyrgyz national who acted as the men’s representative. According to the DIU, Almamet signed contracts with the Russian occupation army on behalf of the three Kenyans and also took control of their bank accounts.
From Yaroslavl, the recruited Kenyans were transferred to the Pogonovo military training ground near Voronezh, identified as military unit No. 11097. The facility is reportedly used for accelerated military training before recruits are deployed directly to active combat zones.
After only a brief period of training, the three Kenyan nationals were sent to eastern Ukraine to take part in assault operations around Lyman. While advancing through what Ukrainian forces describe as a “kill zone,” all three were eliminated by the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
The DIU says the case of Bagaka, Gititu, and Mogesa illustrates how Russia treats foreign fighters in its occupation army — as expendable manpower to be used without regard for life.
“For Moscow, foreign mercenaries are merely cheap human resources, easily sacrificed during bloody assaults,” the intelligence agency stated.
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine has strongly warned foreign citizens against traveling to Russia or accepting employment on the territory of the aggressor state, cautioning that such decisions may lead to forced deployment into suicide missions and death on the battlefield.
