Moscow Strengthens Economic Presence in Kenya, Boosting Political Leverage
Moscow is deepening economic cooperation with Kenya, using trade and infrastructure projects to strengthen its political influence in the region.
The Gaze reports this, referring to The Center for Countering Disinformation on Telegram.
Russia is aligning its economic initiatives with Kenya's national development strategies, focusing on trade agreements, logistics, and infrastructure projects.
“This increased economic presence gives Russia tools for political influence in the region, creating dependence on its resources and control over key logistics hubs,” the report says.
Experts emphasize that the strengthening of Russia's economic presence in Kenya and other African countries is part of the Kremlin's broader strategy to gain political influence.
Through trade and humanitarian contacts, Moscow is trying to attract the region's economic, information, and human resources to support its own aggressive goals, including recruiting citizens to fight against Ukraine.
Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed with Kenyan President William Ruto the issue of recruiting Kenyans to participate in the war against Ukraine, stressing the need to counter such practices and protect citizens.
Russia continues to actively use foreign nationals to strengthen its military forces in the war against Ukraine, spreading the practice of deceptive recruitment.
In addition to African countries such as Kenya, cases of forced mobilization have been reported among citizens of South Africa and India.
In South Africa, the government launched an official investigation after it became known that a group of men aged 20-39 had been sent to the active combat zone in eastern Ukraine under the guise of high-paying jobs, but in fact found themselves in Russian military formations.
Similarly, Indian citizens, including students from Punjab and Haryana, arrive in Russia on student or work visas, after which they are forcibly mobilized and sent to the front without an interpreter or a clear explanation of the terms of their contract.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia is also actively recruiting citizens of other countries, including Cuba and North Korea, using them for various tasks — from direct combat operations to engineering and logistics work in Russia near the front lines. This practice allows the Kremlin to save its own resources, avoid social costs, and at the same time strengthen its control over the region through international mercenaries.
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