A Kenyan recruitment agency founder has been charged with human trafficking for allegedly sending young men to fight for the Russian army.

Festus Omwamba, head of Global Face Human Resources, is accused of deceiving at least 22 youths with promises of jobs abroad, only for them to end up in Russia and, in some cases, on the frontlines in Ukraine.

Authorities say more than 1,000 Kenyans have joined the Russian military in recent months, with some returning home injured and others reported dead.

Omwamba pleaded not guilty, while his lawyer dismissed the allegations as speculation, and another employee, Edward Gituku, is also being prosecuted, CBS News has reported.

The Russian Embassy in Kenya has denied the claims, calling them misleading propaganda.