South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed “heartfelt gratitude” to Russian President Vladimir Putin after the return of men tricked into fighting for Russian forces in Ukraine. Pretoria said in November that 17 men had sent “distress calls” from Ukraine’s Donbas region after being lured into mercenary service. Four have returned, 11 are expected soon, and two remain in Russia.
The South African presidency noted an ongoing investigation into how these men were recruited. South African law prohibits citizens from joining foreign militaries without government approval. The broader conflict, stemming from Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, has involved mercenaries from several African nations.
Reports indicate that some men were allegedly recruited under false promises of well-paid jobs, including involvement by associates of former President Jacob Zuma.