Patrick Kwoba, a 39-year-old Kenyan who joined the Russian military, has warned fellow Kenyans against enlisting, describing his experience as "hell." He claims recruits are forced to stay in the military, with escape or death being the only ways out.

• Kwoba paid a Kenyan agent Ksh80,000 and was promised a Ksh3.7 million signing bonus, expecting a security guard role but was sent to combat after only three weeks of training.
• He returned to Nairobi after being injured in an ambush and currently requires surgery for metal fragments from the attack.
• An investigation revealed African recruits face racism, unpaid salaries, and restrictive contracts, unlike Russian soldiers.
• Other African recruits who spoke to CNN expressed a strong desire to leave the Russian army.