Chechen reflections that mirror experiences of Kenyan families suffering Russia's recruitment

Martin Macharia and Peter Kimemia in Russia. [Courtesy]

 When the Prime Minister of the independent Chechen Republic of Ichkeria sent his message across European capitals to commemorate his country’s Independence Day in September, snippets of his speech drew a tone one gets in testimonies of several Kenyan families affected by Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Ahmed Zhakaev who lives in exile between European Capitals and runs an active government of the free people of Chechnya that is opposed to control of their motherland by the Russian Federation said in his address that what is happening in Ukraine is a continuation of a war unleashed by Russia against the Chechen people after the fall of the soviet dream.

The standard has learnt that the current war that Moscow wages against Ukraine had been predicted by the first President of Chechnya Dzhokhar Dudaev in1996. Born in Soviet occupied Chechnya in 1944, raised, educated, trained and served the Soviet Army rising through the ranks to General, Dudaev understood Russia’s imperialistic ways.

During an interview with a popular Russian TV programme called Vzgliad in 1995. He said Moscow’s actions in Chechnya were remarkably identical to what it would do much later and would continue to do across its former Soviets. He spoke of how Russia will invade Ukraine through Crimea because it had a particular entitlement to countries that belonged to the union of soviets.

In his September 6 address, Zhakaev reflected on Dudaev who was assassinated in 1996. He is considered foremost hero of independence among the Chechens.

“Today, I want to emphasize that, despite all the hardships we've endured, the Chechen people represented by the current authorities who have preserved the legitimacy and legal foundation of the Chechen state, exist”

He told his compatriots spread across Europe and other parts of the world and continue to push for international recognition and independence of the republic of Chechnya from Russia.

“They have secured the future of the Chechen people, the restoration and re-establishment of the Chechen state.” He said “The principle of legal continuity and the mechanism established today by me and my comrades, working around the world are essential for ensuring legal continuity, for the restoration of the Chechen state, and for the de-occupation of our country”.

The Chechen experience is without doubt much dire when compared to what over 100 Kenyan families have been living through after losing their relatives that were duped to serve in the Russian army.

However, a few similarities emerge. The Chechens fell victim to a structured deception that emerged in the political history of the republic which started after the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Kenyans and other Africans have also fallen victim to deceptive recruitment into the Russian army, where they have found themselves fighting against Ukraine, according to available reports.

While republics that belonged to USSR joined the Russian Federation willingly, after signing a treaty accepting Kremlin authority, Chechnya did not. It had all along wanted to be independent from Russia as was Ukraine, Georgia, Estonia and other soviets that found the idea of allegiance to Moscow revolting.

The Standard learns that Russia unilaterally incorporated the Chechen Republic into the Russian Federation. Says Zhakaev  

The absurdity lay in the fact that the same constitution emphasized that the subjects of the Russian Federation were republics that had signed the federal treaty. The Chechen Republic had not signed this treaty, and therefore Russia's aggression against the Chechen state was criminal and aggressive in nature.”

A looming collapse of the union in the late 80s unleashed a spate of unpredictable events. The Chechen people, Ukrainians, and the Baltic peoples, who had been under Soviet occupation during the era, took advantage of a weakening central government in Moscow, and decided to exercise their right to self-determination.

The Chechen-Ingush people and the Chechens were part of the new move.  Subsequently, the Chechen-Ingush Republic formalized its dissolution to hold free elections in the Chechen-Ingush Republic. However, the Ingush for reasons not known to the Chechens, held their own forum and declared their desire to create an Ingush Republic within the Russian Federation. That entity is today known as the republic of Ingushetia.  Their comrades from the Chechens saw that as their right and did not interfere with their decision.

Because of this, the original Chechen-Ingush Republic was divided into two entities: Ingushetia which is today a subject of the Russian Federation and an international entity that declared its own independent state called the Chechen independent state of Ichkeria. Dzhokhar Dudayev was elected president and on November 1 1991, he signed a decree confirming the Chechen people's will for independence. For over a year, the Chechen Republic, recognized by both the USSR and the Russian Federation, existed as a union republic and an independent state.

After the collapse of USSR, the Chechen Republic set itself on a course of strengthening its independence and sovereignty with intent to sever links with Moscow. At the same time, other autonomous republics, which had the same status as sovereign national republics, decided to create a new federal entity that is today called the Russian Federation.

In 1992, these entities signed a federal treaty but the Chechen Republic was not a party to it.  That year it adopted its constitution and affirmed its course toward independence. In 1993, following a crisis of power in Russia, a new constitution was adopted. And Russia unilaterally incorporated the Chechen Republic into the Federation. The Chechen read deception into that move which got the two into conflict and Russian President Boris Yeltsin sending troops in December 1994 to reassert control. That caused the 1^st Chechen War.

Following brutal bombardments, hostage crises, and military failure to subdue the region, Russia signed the Khasavyurt Accord in August 1996, granting Chechnya de facto independence pending a final political status decision.

Several reports by rights groups such as the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, Amnesty International and Truth hounds have recorded deception as Russia’s way of managing political and military situations.

“Russia has recruited thousands of foreign nationals from low-income countries, as well as migrants and refugees already living in Russia, to fight in its war in Ukraine. Recruitment has frequently involved deceptive, coercive and exploitative practices”. Amnesty International said in its latest report released September 10.

“Many recruits were lured by false promises of civilian employment, high salaries, legal status or Russian citizenship, and promptly found themselves on the frontline in Ukraine. Testimonies from prisoners of war and others describe contracts signed without informed consent, confiscation of passports, restrictions on freedom of movement, inadequate training and threats against those seeking to leave the military.”

According to the GI-TOC report, Who is Making Russia’s Drones?  Released in 2023, the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan utilizes the Alabuga Start program to lure young women aged between 18 and 22 from Africa, Latin America, and Asia with misleading work-study advertisements.

Kenyan families suffering effects of Russia’s war against Ukraine will identify with painful memories that the Chechens have endured unto this day as they commemorate 35 years of their independence now ignored by Moscow.

Moscow has gone silent on the cries of the families which are pushing Kenyan authorities to speak for them.  Two times in September the families had their petition listed by two committees of the Senate: September 15 and 29. The Committee of Labour and that of Defence and Foreign Relations. They want solutions from the government to, among others; find information on the extent and circumstances of recruitment and deployment of Kenyan nationals to Russia, the number of Kenyans killed and detained. The September 29 session was, however postponed to October 8.

Majority of the families have endured sleepless nights because of losing contact with their sons. They now live uncertain times looking for answers which they believe will lift a heavy burden from their hearts. That has been the life of members of the Independent Chechen republic of Ichkeria.