Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed “heartfelt gratitude” to Vladimir Putin for facilitating the return of South African men who were reportedly lured into fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.
Pretoria said in November it had received distress calls from 17 men who claimed they were misled into joining mercenary units and found themselves in the Donbas region amid the ongoing war. Four have since returned home, 11 are expected back soon, and two remain in Russia.
The South African presidency said investigations are ongoing into how the men were recruited. South African law prohibits citizens from serving in a foreign military without government approval.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which began in 2022, has drawn foreign fighters from multiple countries, including across Africa.
Authorities continue to examine allegations of recruitment networks that may have operated under false promises of employment.
SOURCE : TRT AFRICA
