JOHANNESBURG – The South African government announced Tuesday that eleven citizens who were deceived into joining Russian military operations in Ukraine will soon be returning to their homeland, following four others who successfully made it back last week.
Two additional men remain in Russia, with one currently receiving medical treatment at a Moscow hospital, according to a statement from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration.
The situation involving these 17 South African nationals came to light in November when they contacted their government seeking assistance after becoming stranded in Ukraine’s Donbas region. Ramaphosa personally discussed their predicament during a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month.
This incident reflects a growing pattern of African citizens being deceived with job promises only to find themselves forced into combat roles on Ukraine’s battlefields, creating diplomatic friction between Russia and affected African nations.
Intelligence documents presented to Kenyan legislators last week revealed that over 1,000 Kenyan nationals may have been recruited to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. Kenya’s foreign minister has announced plans to travel to Russia to address this concerning trend.
South Africa continues to pursue a neutral position regarding the Ukraine conflict while maintaining diplomatic relationships with Moscow through their shared membership in BRICS, which also includes Brazil, India, and China.
South African law prohibits citizens from providing military support to foreign nations or joining foreign armed forces without proper government authorization.
Russian forces currently occupy significant portions of the Donbas region, where intense combat has persisted since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began four years ago.
