Kenyan athlete captured in Ukraine says he was tricked into joining Russian army

A Kenyan long-distance runner being held in Ukraine as a prisoner of war says he was deceived into joining the Russian army and is pleading not to be sent back to Russia.

In a video released on Wednesday by Ukraine’s 57th Separate Motorised Infantry Brigade, 36-year-old Evans Kibet said he was promised work in Russia but was instead forced into military service.

“I will die there. I want to go home and see my 16-year-old daughter,” Kibet, wearing a red sports top with the brigade’s flag behind him, is seen saying.

The brigade said the interview was filmed with Kibet’s consent, although the BBC, which reported the story, has not independently verified this.

Ukrainian officials say foreign recruits in Russia’s army are not unusual, but cases of captives speaking on camera are rare.

According to Ukraine’s prisoner-of-war spokesperson, citizens of Somalia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Cuba and Sri Lanka are also among those detained, many having been lured with false promises of jobs.

Kibet’s family in western Kenya told the BBC they were shocked by the video. His cousin, Edith Chesoi, said she was traumatised, while his brother, Isaac Kipyego, described him as a humble man devoted to athletics.

Kibet had trained in Iten and competed in 10km and half-marathon races abroad but struggled financially.

According to friends, he left Kenya in July after being offered a chance to compete in Russia, but within weeks he says he was tricked into signing military papers and had his passport taken.

He told Ukrainian interrogators that after a week of basic training he was sent towards the front line but escaped before combat, wandering through a forest before surrendering to Ukrainian troops.

Kenya’s government has said it is following up on reports of nationals trafficked to Russia and captured in Ukraine.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei on Saturday said Kenya’s mission in Moscow was pursuing the matter, while Ukraine has signalled it is open to negotiations for Kibet’s repatriation if Kenya makes a formal request.

“We are keenly following information on three or four Kenyans allegedly trafficked to Russia and currently held as POWs by Ukraine. We shall provide additional information,” Sing'oei wrote on X.

“In the meantime, we assure the families that our Mission in Moscow and our teams at HQ are pursuing the matter with all diligence.”