A Russian official arrested in Nairobi over a syndicate where Kenyans were being recruited and trafficked to Moscow to join fighting against Ukraine was deported from Nairobi.
Officials said Mike Lyapin, a Russian national and an employee at the embassy in Nairobi was booked on an Air Arabia flight from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Friday September 26, 2025 at 1pm.
The flight was scheduled to transit Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and connect to Moscow.
“He was sent away after his arrest over this saga,” said an official aware of then developments.
Lyapin was a key player in the cartel trafficking Kenyans to Russia to join the military.
His arrest and detention on Thursday evening came after the security agencies rescued 22 Kenyans from rented apartments where they were unknowingly being processed to travel to Russia.
Lyapin who first came to Kenya on March 6, 2017 was booked at Muthaiga Police cells ahead of his deportation.
The security officers continue to caution Kenyans from being duped with lucrative offers of employment in Russia as they will end up being forcefully enlisted in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Officials said they are pursuing more suspects in the saga.
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