Overview
- President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered an investigation after receiving distress calls from 17 South African men trapped in Ukraine’s Donbas, most of whom are from KwaZulu-Natal with one from the Eastern Cape.
- The Presidency says the men, aged 20 to 39, were recruited under the pretext of lucrative employment, and Pretoria is working through diplomatic channels to secure their return.
- South Africa’s Foreign Military Assistance Act prohibits citizens from providing military assistance or joining foreign armed forces without authorization, framing potential legal and trafficking inquiries.
- It remains unclear which side the group fought for; Ukraine’s embassy in Pretoria denied they served with Ukrainian forces, and a Ukrainian intelligence source suggested they were fighting for Russia.
- Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said at least 1,436 citizens from 36 African countries have been identified fighting for Russia and urged African governments to warn citizens, echoing prior reports of deceptive recruitment schemes including factory work in Russia.