South Africa’s government announced on Tuesday that 11 of the 17 South African men who were allegedly lured into fighting for Russia in Ukraine are expected to return home soon. The statement follows the return of four men who arrived back in the country last week.
According to the office of President Cyril Ramaphosa, two of the men remain in Russia, including one who is currently receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Moscow.
The fate of the 17 men gained national attention after they reportedly sent distress calls to the South African government in November, saying they had become trapped in Ukraine’s Donbas region. President Ramaphosa raised the issue during a recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Reports of African nationals being recruited with promises of employment in Russia, only to find themselves deployed to the front lines in Ukraine, have increased in recent months. The situation has caused diplomatic concerns between Moscow and several African countries.
In a related development, a Kenyan intelligence report presented to lawmakers last week estimated that more than 1,000 Kenyan nationals had been recruited to fight alongside Russian forces in the war in Ukraine. Kenya’s foreign minister has said he plans to visit Russia to address the matter.
South Africa has maintained a non-aligned stance on the conflict in Ukraine, while preserving close ties with Moscow as a fellow member of the BRICS bloc, which also includes Brazil, India, and China.
Under South African law, citizens are prohibited from providing military assistance to foreign governments or participating in foreign armed forces without official authorization.
Much of Ukraine’s Donbas region remains under Russian control, and heavy fighting has continued there since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine four years ago.