… Pyongyang has also drawn closer to Russia, sending troops and artillery shells to support its invasion of Ukraine. …
North Korean club to play rare football match in SouthKenya Minute.
Thursday, 21 May 2026
Kenya’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Thursday, 21 May 2026
Nairobi—:—London—:—New York—:—Beijing—:—
Kenyan press · Place
Russia
Also known as: Moscow
In coverage
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
- May 2026
As thousands of African citizens fall victim to Russia’s predatory recruitment in its effort to replenish dwindling numbers on its war frontlines, Kenyans could be leading other African countries in contributing thousands of jobless youth as fighters to Russia’s war against Ukrai …
Kenya leads Africa in combatants' supply to Russia, many duped into army serviceKirinyaga family mourns son allegedly killed in Russia-Ukraine war after being lured with job promise By Johnson Muriithi May 03, 2026 11:15 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Audio By Vocalize A family in Kir …
Kirinyaga family mourns son allegedly killed in Russia-Ukraine war after being lured with job promiseAudio By VocalizeA worker cleans the river of petroleum products following a spill caused by a recent drone attack on the Tuapse oil refinery in Tuapse, Krasnodar region, on April 29, 2026. [AFP] Russian drone strikes on Ukraine killed three people across the country, while Ukrai …
Russia, Ukraine drones kill four, hit oil tankers… European powers have been on alert since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and a spate of drone incursions in the last year -- as well as US promises to move away from defending the continent -- have pushed the issue to the top of the agenda. …
US to withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany… In recent years, Mali, like neighbouring junta-led Burkina Faso and Niger, has cut ties with colonial power France and moved closer to Russia. …
Rebels take key military camp in Mali's north… This week, pump prices in the United States climbed to their highest level since early 2022, when Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine triggered a global surge in the cost of oil.Hostilities in the Middle East, which began when Israel and the United States started bombing Iran …
'Trump is an idiot': Californians fume over soaring petrol prices… In recent years, Mali, like neighbouring junta-led Burkina Faso and Niger, has cut ties with colonial power France and moved closer to Moscow. …
Rebels take key military base in Mali's north… iPhone 17 demand By AFP May 01, 2026 05:32 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Apple's new iPhone 17 smartphones are demonstrated in a store during preparations for the series' launch of sales in Moscow, Russia …
Apple earnings beat forecasts on iPhone 17 demand- April 2026
… Brent crude touched $126.31 a barrel earlier on Thursday, the highest since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. …
Oil price hits highest since 2022 after report Trump to be briefed on new Iran options
World & Region
Iran jails ex-goalkeeper for anti-Khamenei social media post
The News
Iran has jailed Mohammad Rashid Mazaheri, a former goalkeeper for the national men's football team who played in the 2018 World Cup, after he published a post critical of then-supreme leader Ali Khamenei earlier this year. The Iranian judiciary confirmed his arrest but claimed he was detained for attempting to illegally cross the border, according to his wife's account.
7 hours ago · Citizen Digital →
Yesterday
Iran jails ex-goalkeeper for anti-Khamenei social media post
Iran has jailed Mohammad Rashid Mazaheri, a former goalkeeper for the national men's football team who played in the 2018 World Cup, after he published a post critical of then-supreme leader Ali Khamenei earlier this year. The Iranian judiciary confirmed his arrest but claimed he was detained for attempting to illegally cross the border, according to his wife's account.
7 hours ago · Citizen Digital →
Russian director returns with Ukraine war drama film
Acclaimed Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev premiered "Minotaur" at Cannes Film Festival, his first film in nine years and first in exile, a family drama set amid the war in Ukraine featuring a wealthy Russian couple's failing marriage against the backdrop of men being drafted for the front.
21 hours ago · Citizen Digital →
Tuesday 19 May
Putin visits Beijing for summit with Xi Jinping
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Beijing on Tuesday for a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to deepen their strategic partnership. The two nuclear powers' relations are underpinned by China's economic heft and Russia's vast oil production, likely central to this week's talks.
19 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship docks in Rotterdam after outbreak
A Dutch cruise ship operated by Oceanwide Expeditions docked in Rotterdam Harbour with a skeleton crew after a hantavirus outbreak killed three passengers. The remaining crew faces weeks of quarantine, though the WHO has stressed that contagion from the virus is very rare despite its multi-week incubation period.
19 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Sunday 17 May
Mercedes-Benz CEO open to entering defence industry
Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kaellenius said the company has not ruled out entering the defence industry, stating that Europe needs to strengthen its defence capabilities in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. His remarks reflect Germany's broader effort to boost military capacity.
17 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Russia returns 528 bodies to Ukraine in repatriation effort
Kyiv said Russia has returned 528 bodies identified as Ukrainian soldiers killed in action, one of the few areas of cooperation between the warring neighbours. The prisoners of war centre stated that investigators will take necessary steps to identify the repatriated deceased, following a prisoner exchange between the two countries.
17 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Ukrainian drone barrage kills three in Moscow region
Over 500 Ukrainian drones attacked Russia overnight, killing three people in the Moscow region, with air defences shooting down 556 drones across 14 Russian regions and other areas including Crimea and the Black and Azov seas, according to Russia's defence ministry.
17 May 2026 · The Standard →
Saturday 16 May
Thirty-six countries approve special tribunal for Ukraine
Thirty-four European states plus Australia, Costa Rica, and the EU expressed intention to join a special tribunal to prosecute Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed an accord with the Council of Europe last year to create a legal body to prosecute the "crime of aggression" in the invasion Russia launched in 2022.
16 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Ukraine vows more strikes after Russian attack kills 24
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to launch retaliatory strikes on Russia after a Russian missile strike on Kyiv killed 24 people, including three children. A Ukrainian drone strike on the Russian city of Ryazan killed four people, including a child, amid the ongoing four-year invasion.
16 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Friday 15 May
Ukraine's mental health crisis will impact generations, WHO warns
The World Health Organization says Ukraine's mental health needs are growing four years into Russia's full-scale invasion, with 71 percent of people experiencing anxiety, stress, and sleeplessness. WHO estimates that mental health effects will be felt for generations, with two-thirds of Ukrainians reporting worsened health since the war began.
15 May 2026 · The Standard →
Tuesday 12 May
France hosts first African summit in Kenya, pledges $27bn investment
At the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, French President Emmanuel Macron announced $27bn in investments in energy transition, digital, AI, maritime economy and agriculture, saying France aims to broaden partnerships and move beyond traditional colonial-era ties. Macron stated the investments would create some 250,000 jobs in Africa and France, and called for African business leaders to invest in France as well.
12 May 2026 · Capital News →
Russia and Ukraine resume military strikes after three-day truce
Russia resumed attacks on Ukraine as a three-day ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump expired on Tuesday, striking the capital with drones and killing one person in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region. The Russian military said it shot down 27 Ukrainian drones after the ceasefire ended.
12 May 2026 · The Standard →
Gachagua calls Ruto Kenya's greatest threat at Africa Forward Summit
Democratic Change Party leader Rigathi Gachagua dismissed the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi as a political "sideshow," accusing President William Ruto of seeking international legitimacy while ignoring crises in healthcare, education and security. Gachagua directed remarks at UN Secretary-General António Guterres and French President Emmanuel Macron, calling Ruto a human rights violator and threat to regional stability, and cited the abduction of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye in Nairobi in November 2024 as evidence of government collusion with foreign governments.
12 May 2026 · The Standard →
Monday 11 May
EU diplomat: Ukraine war dynamics shifting in Kyiv's favour
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the Ukraine war's dynamics are changing in Kyiv's favour, citing Moscow's record battlefield losses and Ukraine's deep strikes into Russia. Kallas stated that Ukraine is in a much better position than a year ago, and that Putin is in a weaker position than ever before.
11 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Guterres advocates for Africa's permanent UN Security Council seat
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has renewed his push for fair representation of African countries in the multilateral system, arguing that Africa has demonstrated potential in clean energy, digital innovation, peacebuilding, and economic transformation, but is held back by global obstacles including unjust borrowing costs and debt burdens.
11 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Sunday 10 May
Family holds mock burial for Kenyan killed in Russia-Ukraine war
Oscar Khagola Mutoka, a former Kenya Defence Forces soldier, died fighting for Russia against Ukraine on August 14, 2025, but his body was never recovered. His family conducted a symbolic burial ceremony in Busia County, burying a stone foundation instead of his remains, and called on the government to intervene against young Kenyans being recruited to fight in foreign wars.
10 May 2026 · The Standard →
Saturday 9 May
Putin receives Slovak PM Fico at Kremlin Victory Day
Russian President Vladimir Putin received Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in the Kremlin on Saturday during Russia's scaled-back Victory Day celebrations, with Fico as the only EU leader visiting Moscow. A handful of European states refused to let Fico's plane use their airspace en route to Moscow.
9 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Trump announces three-day Russia-Ukraine ceasefire with prisoner swap
US President Donald Trump announced a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine that includes suspension of all kinetic activity and a prisoner swap of 1,000 prisoners from each country. Both Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian state media confirmed agreement to the proposal.
9 May 2026 · Capital News →
Kenyan recruits describe frontline experiences in Ukraine war
Kenyan recruits with little to no military training have been deployed to fight on the Russia-Ukraine frontlines, according to accounts from individuals like Dickson Chege, who arrived in Russia in December 2025 with no weapons training and found himself assigned to dangerous drone-hunting duties in eastern Ukraine.
9 May 2026 · The Standard →
Friday 8 May
Sabalenka hopes to compete under Belarus flag again
World number one Aryna Sabalenka hopes to represent Belarus after the IOC lifted its ban on the country's athletes competing in the Olympics. Sabalenka has competed under a neutral banner due to Belarus's support for Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
8 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
IOC lifts ban on Belarusian Olympic athletes; Russia still restricted
The International Olympic Committee lifted restrictions on Belarusian athletes competing in the Olympics, allowing them to participate in teams. Russian athletes remain restricted and may only compete under a neutral banner on an individual basis if they have not actively supported the conflict in Ukraine.
8 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Government unable to confirm number of Kenyans in Russian military
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi admitted the government cannot confirm how many Kenyans have been recruited into Russian military operations, noting that some travelled without notifying authorities or families.
8 May 2026 · The Standard →
Government unable to confirm how many Kenyans joined Russian military
Prime Cabinet Secretary Mudavadi has admitted the government cannot confirm the number of Kenyans recruited into Russian military operations, saying some travelled without notifying authorities or their families.
8 May 2026 · The Standard →
Russia, Ukraine launch major attacks amid ceasefire collapse
Russia and Ukraine exchanged intensive strikes on Friday as Moscow's declared two-day unilateral ceasefire around its World War II commemorations broke down. Ukraine's air force reported downing 56 drones while Russia conducted over 850 drone strikes and more than 140 strikes on Kyiv's frontline positions, according to President Zelensky.
8 May 2026 · The Standard →
Twin jihadist attacks kill more than 30 in central Mali
Two strikes claimed by the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) killed more than 30 people in villages in central Mali on Wednesday, according to security and administrative sources. The assaults were reportedly in retaliation for acts by the Dan Nan Ambassagou militia, a self-defence group that authorities have accused of a massacre.
8 May 2026 · The Standard →
Thursday 7 May
Kenyans recruited in Russian army rises to 291, with 19 dead
The Prime Cabinet Secretary told the Senate that 291 Kenyans have been confirmed recruited into the Russian army, up from 252 reported in April; 19 are believed dead, 53 have been repatriated, 42 are missing, and 2 are held as prisoners of war in Ukraine.
7 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Zelensky accuses Russia of rejecting ceasefire, escalating attacks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia rejected a Ukrainian ceasefire proposal by launching fresh attacks, raising the prospect of Ukrainian retaliatory strikes during Russia's May 9 World War II commemoration, after the Kremlin had proposed a mutual ceasefire pause for that day.
7 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Wednesday 6 May
Uganda parliament passes controversial foreign agents bill
Uganda's parliament passed the "Protection of Sovereignty Bill," which criminalises actions promoting "the interests of a foreigner against those of Uganda" and labels foreign-funded recipients as "agents of foreigners," with convictions carrying sentences of up to 20 years. Rights groups and journalists have criticised the law for mirroring Russian language used to silence dissent.
6 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Tuesday 5 May
UK sanctions 35 individuals and entities over Kenya trafficking
The UK has imposed sanctions on 35 individuals and entities linked to Russian drone production and human trafficking networks accused of deceptively recruiting foreign migrants, including Kenyans, either to send them to the front line in Ukraine or to work in weapons factories.
5 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Three dead in suspected cruise ship hantavirus outbreak
Three people have died after a suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship sailing between Argentina and Cape Verde, with one case confirmed by the WHO, which said the public risk remains low. The outbreak has raised questions about whether hantavirus, normally spread by rodent contact, is being transmitted between humans.
5 May 2026 · The Standard →