Another Kenyan Family Held a Funeral Without a Body for a Son Who Died In Russia's Army

A family in Mutomo village, Gatundu South, Kenya held a funeral without a body on Friday, September 11, for their son, Anthony Kamau Gitau, who, relatives say, died months earlier while serving in Russia's army.

Silence After December

Anthony traveled to Russia in November 2025 looking for work, relatives told Tuko, a Kenyan news outlet. His last contact with the family came about a month later, in December. When the silence continued and fears grew, his brother, Dickson Muiruri, made his own phone number public online, appealing for anyone with information about Anthony's fate to come forward.

Relatives say Anthony had gone to Russia for work but eventually enlisted in the Russian army - the same bait-and-switch pattern where African recruits promised civilian jobs end up signing military contracts instead. Word that Anthony had died reached the family months before the funeral.

No Way to Bring Him Home

The family spent months trying to have Anthony's remains repatriated to Kenya, according to Tuko, but the efforts came to nothing. Unable to bury him in the traditional way, they instead planted an avocado tree at the family homestead and laid flowers at the site as a memorial. Friends, relatives, and neighbors from the village gathered throughout the day to mourn with the family, who said the ceremony gave them a space to grieve together even without a grave to visit.

Funerals Without Bodies

As Russian authorities deny accusations related to their involvement in predatory recruitment of foreigners into Russia's armed forces and ignore relatives' demands for answers, families often resort to holding funerals in absentia - seeking ways to give decent farewells to their loved ones and creating places that will serve as memorials. Two other Kenyans - Victor Mbugua Kinuthia and Oscar Kagola Mutoka - were mourned in absentia after their bodies were never recovered. A similar case occurred in Bolivia, where relatives of cousins Iván Valdivia and José María Soleto Ayala held a symbolic wake without knowing where their bodies were.

Get Out Safely

Kenyans and other foreign nationals currently serving in Russia's armed forces have an option to safely escape the battlefield with Ukraine's "I Want to Live" project. Also see our FAQ on how to safely surrender to Ukrainian forces.

Sources: Tuko, Thika Town Today