Govt vows prosecution after Russian man shares viral videos of Kenyan women

The Government of Kenya has condemned the unauthorised recording and circulation of intimate images involving Kenyan women by a Russian national, describing the act as a serious violation of personal dignity, privacy, and national values.

In a press statement released on Monday, February 16, 2026, the Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children Services Cabinet Secretary Hanna Wendot Cheptumo decried the actions, saying they represent a form of technology‑facilitated gender‑based violence and exploitation that threatens Kenya’s social fabric.

The ministry cited constitutional protections for dignity and privacy under Articles 28 and 31 of the Constitution of Kenya.

“The Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children Services strongly condemns the disturbing incident in which a foreign national is alleged to have secretly recorded and circulated intimate images of Kenyan women without their consent,” the statement added.

Whole‑of-government response

The Gender Cabinet Secretary said the government has activated a whole-of-government response, directing relevant security, investigative, and prosecutorial agencies to pursue the matter urgently.

“We are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness. Relevant authorities have been tasked to investigate, and we will work with international partners given the cross-border nature of the case,” she said.

CS Cheptumo also emphasised that any individual found culpable will face the full force of Kenyan law under the Penal Code, the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, and other statutes protecting women and children.

The ministry further warned the public against sharing and distributing the viral videos, noting that continued circulation could attract criminal liability.

“Sharing these videos is not harmless it compounds the harm to the victims and is punishable under the law,” CS Cheptumo stated.

The ministry emphasised that such violations are not merely criminal acts but also threats to the social fabric of Kenyan society, which is founded on respect, human dignity, and the protection of vulnerable persons.

The response comes days after Ghana’s Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MoGCSP) vowed to pursue legal action after a foreign national engaged in sexual activities with some Ghanaian women and circulated videos of the acts online without their consent.

As of February 16, 2026, the foreign national, identified as Yaytseslav (also referred to as Vyacheslav Trahov), had attracted attention across Africa, particularly in Ghana and Kenya, for posting videos of intimate encounters with local women.

In the videos, he is seen recording himself as he approaches women in public spaces such as the Accra Mall in Ghana and shopping malls in Nairobi, Kenya.

According to reports, he used smart glasses to secretly capture these initial interactions as well as private encounters in hotel rooms.

Shortened versions of the videos were shared on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.

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