Could You Be Next? Russia Wants You: EAC Youth Face New Recruitment Threat After Putin’s Decree

A chilling question now hovers over East Africa: Could you be next? 

In a shocking turn, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree that dramatically expands the scope of foreign military service in Russia, a move that places East African Community (EAC) youth directly in the recruitment crosshairs of Moscow’s war machine. 

With over one million Russian soldiers killed or wounded since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and growing resistance at home to further mobilisations, the Kremlin is now targeting foreign nationals to replenish its exhausted ranks. 

Signed on July 7, 2025, the new decree legalizes the enlistment of foreigners not only during martial law or states of emergency, as was previously required, but even during standard mobilisation periods. This strategic move allows the Russian army to quietly boost troop numbers without reigniting the domestic panic seen during the 2022 mobilisation, which prompted more than 261,000 Russians to flee the country. 

Under the updated rules, qualified specialists, even those past the usual age limit, can now also sign contracts with Russia’s elite institutions like the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). 

This is not an abstract threat, foreign recruitment is already happening. 

Between April 2023 and May 2024, more than 1,500 foreign nationals joined the Russian military to fight in Ukraine, according to the UK Ministry of Defence. Of these: 771 came from South and East Asia, 523 from former Soviet states, 72 from African countries. 

The breakdown does not name specific African nations, but experts warn that East African youth are particularly vulnerable to Russia’s offer of fast cash, signing bonuses, and promises of citizenship. 

With skyrocketing youth unemployment, limited opportunities, and increased Russian visibility across Africa through diplomatic, educational, and military engagements, many young people in countries like Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Burundi may unknowingly fall into this trap. 

The UK Defence Ministry reports that recruitment is likely happening through Moscow-based centers, where higher incentives and easier legal processing make foreign enlistment appealing. Russia’s global outreach, especially in countries where it is investing in infrastructure and diplomacy, further enhances its ability to influence and attract young recruits. 

What seems like an opportunity for a better life can quickly turn into a one-way ticket to the front lines of a brutal war. 

This situation demands urgent attention from EAC governments. 

Citizens signing up to fight in Russia’s war face immense risks: death, injury, legal complications, and long-term psychological trauma. Moreover, once recruited, they may become untraceable, trapped within a foreign military system far from home and beyond diplomatic reach. 

It’s also a national security concern. If EAC citizens return home after fighting in a high-intensity foreign conflict, they may carry trauma, radicalization, or even foreign intelligence links, creating ripple effects in their communities. 

The war in Ukraine is far from East African soil, but its consequences are creeping closer. Russia’s calculated shift toward foreign recruitment signals desperation, but it also reveals the dangerous willingness to exploit young lives from vulnerable regions for geopolitical gain. 

The EAC must rise to protect its youth from being manipulated into a foreign conflict with no end in sight.