Emando Ligunza

Kenya's Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi says the government will not prosecute citizens who joined Russia's military despite laws banning enlistment in foreign armed forces without approval.

Russia and Kenya last week signed an agreement to hold further recruitment of Kenyans.

It allows those currently deployed to terminate their contracts and return home.

Officials say more than a thousand Kenyans are known to have been recruited.

Some have been repatriated while others remain on the front lines.

Some families report Russia making dishonest and lucrative offers to recruit Kenyans for its depleted forces.

Russia maintains the enlistment were voluntary.

For NPR News, I'm Emando Ligunza in Nairobi, Kenya.