Outrage Erupts Over Non-Consensual Filming of Women in Kenya and Ghana by Russian National

An alleged global trend of men filming unsuspecting women for online content has sparked widespread outrage in Kenya and Ghana, following the viral spread of videos featuring a Russian man approaching and recording women without their consent. Victims are facing both public humiliation and online abuse, even as authorities initiate investigations.

Victim Shares Ordeal After Viral Video

Joy Kalekye, then a 19-year-old student, discovered she was a victim of this trend on Valentine's Day when a friend alerted her to a video posted online. The clip, filmed without her knowledge, showed an interaction from the previous year where a man approached her on a Nairobi street. Kalekye recounted the shock of realizing she had been secretly recorded, an encounter she had previously forgotten.

Her experience is one of several instances where a man, identifying as Russian, filmed women in public spaces across Kenya and Ghana, often touching their hair, holding their hands, and soliciting personal details. These videos, which appear to be part of a global phenomenon, have garnered millions of views and are reportedly monetized by creators who either post them on social media or sell guides on approaching women.

Public Condemnation and Victim Blaming

The circulation of these non-consensual videos has drawn strong condemnation from activists and politicians in both African nations, who are demanding the arrest of the man responsible. However, the online reaction has also seen women in the videos blamed, ridiculed, and subjected to abuse, intensifying their ordeal.

Brenda Yambo, legal counsel at FIDA-Kenya, highlighted that this public response reinforces harmful gender stereotypes and deflects blame from the perpetrator to the victims. She noted that society often scrutinizes women's choices and morality instead of the wrongdoing itself, which further harms victims and discourages them from coming forward.

Content Creators Re-upload Videos for Traffic

The videos featuring Kalekye and others gained widespread traction this year as Kenyan and Ghanaian social media accounts re-uploaded them, some with explicit captions, to drive traffic. Kelvin Karume, a 22-year-old content creator in Nairobi, admitted to downloading videos from a Russian YouTube channel and re-uploading them to his TikTok page. One such video reportedly amassed a million views and thousands of comments within two hours.

Kalekye recounted facing verbal abuse in public after her video went viral, including derogatory Swahili remarks related to her health. Karume stated he removed Kalekye's video and another upon request, acknowledging it was not "OK exposing them like that," but still retains other non-consensual videos on his channel due to lack of complaints.

Authorities Identify Suspect, Initiate Investigations

In response to the growing concern, Kenya's Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) issued a stern warning against resharing non-consensual videos, classifying it as secondary victimization punishable by law. Ghanaian authorities have identified the man as 36-year-old Vladislav Liulkov, releasing his passport photo and announcing intentions to bring him back to Ghana to face cybersecurity charges for recording private encounters without consent and monetizing the content. Liulkov's current whereabouts remain unknown.

While Liulkov's face is not visible in the viral videos, geolocation has traced some recordings to major malls in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Accra. The consistent voice and presence of a distinctive blue Casio watch in the clips suggest the same individual. Images from a Russian dating site, posted in April 2025, reportedly show Liulkov wearing what appear to be Meta's Ray Ban smart glasses and a traditional East African hat, further linking him to the region and potential recording methods.

Monetization and Denials

Reports from Russian media indicate the videos were initially posted by social media channels using a pseudonym combining Russian words for male genitals and glory. An archived website under this name reportedly sold a guide for approaching women. While compilations with this watermark, including scenes from other countries like Cuba, circulated, Liulkov has denied to the BBC any involvement in these social media handles, websites, or filming women with smart glasses. However, he admitted to Russian media outlet Vot Tak that he had met women in Kenya and Ghana but denied filming them.

Victim's Courage Against Judgment

Despite the online vitriol and personal attacks, Joy Kalekye is speaking out publicly to counter the narratives perpetuated against her. She emphasized her strength, stating, "I don't have to stay here because of just something someone said." Kalekye believes the negative reaction stems from self-righteousness, urging people to reconsider the impact of their "small negative comment" on someone's life, especially when the recordings capture everyday occurrences.

Key Takeaways

  • Women in Kenya and Ghana were secretly filmed by a Russian man during street interactions, with videos later going viral.
  • Ghanaian authorities identified the suspect as Vladislav Liulkov and plan to press cybersecurity charges for non-consensual recording and monetization.
  • Victims like Joy Kalekye have faced severe online abuse, ridicule, and public humiliation, exacerbating their trauma.
  • Local content creators re-uploaded the videos, contributing to their spread, some later removing clips upon request.
  • Kenya's DCI has warned that resharing non-consensual videos constitutes secondary victimization and is subject to criminal prosecution.
  • The case highlights a concerning global trend of non-consensual filming for online content and profit.
The proliferation of social media platforms has unfortunately enabled new forms of exploitation, where personal encounters can be transformed into monetized content without consent. This case underscores the urgent need for stronger digital privacy laws and increased public awareness regarding consent, both online and offline.