File Photo: Egyptian Cabinet Photo courtesy of Egyptian Cabinet Facebook page.
An official decree published in the Official Gazette on Thursday revealed that Mohamed Radwan El-Senousi, a native of Al-Maris village in Luxor, had his Egyptian nationality stripped following his acquisition of foreign citizenship and his enlistment in the armed forces of a foreign state.
El-Senousi travelled to Russia in 2021 to pursue medical studies, attracted by the country’s lower admission requirements than Egyptian universities.
After completing high school, he moved to Russia, where he maintained regular contact with his family.
However, communication ceased, and his family later discovered he had joined the Russian military and was fighting in the war against Ukraine.
Reports indicate that El-Senousi was captured by Ukrainian forces in recent weeks, just days after heading to the front.
In February, Ukrainian content creator Dmytro Karpenko — who shares interviews with prisoners of war on his social media accounts — published a video featuring El-Senousi.
In the video, he explained how he had been recruited into the Russian army and the pressures that led to his involvement. He also reassured viewers that he was safe but in need of prayers, as he was now a prisoner of war.
He stated that he had been coerced into joining the Russian military and promised his mother he would return to Egypt once the war concluded.
El-Senousi also revealed he had signed a contract with Russia, which granted him Russian citizenship and offered a salary and financial incentives for his military service.
Believing the arrangement to be for training, he was surprised to find himself sent to the front lines in Ukraine, where he claimed he was forced into combat.
Further investigation by Ahram Online found two other videos from January featuring alleged Egyptian nationals who had also reportedly fought for the Russian army and were captured during the conflict.
In March, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced that students aged 18 to 35 must obtain security clearance before studying in Russia or Ukraine.
Under Egyptian law (Law No. 26 of 1975 concerning Egyptian nationality), citizens must seek approval from the Ministry of Interior before acquiring a foreign nationality.
If approval is not granted, the individual remains an Egyptian citizen unless the Cabinet issues a decree to revoke nationality under Article 16 of the law.
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