South Africa probes claims of citizens trapped as mercenaries in Ukraine war

South Africa says 17 of its citizens who joined mercenary groups in the Russia-Ukraine war have appealed for help from the Donbas region, where fighting continues.

The men, aged between 20 and 39, were allegedly recruited under false promises of well-paid work, according to government spokesman Vincent Magwenya. President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered an investigation into how they were drawn into “seemingly mercenary activities.”

It remains unclear which side of the conflict they were fighting for. South African law forbids citizens from fighting for any foreign army or group without government approval.

Magwenya said 16 of the men are from KwaZulu-Natal and one from the Eastern Cape. He added that Pretoria is using diplomatic channels to try to bring them home and denounced the “exploitation of vulnerable young people.”

Analysts say high youth unemployment, over 30% nationally, has made South Africans easy targets for illegal recruitment.

The reports come as global concern grows over Russia’s use of African recruits since the Wagner paramilitary network dissolved. A BBC investigation recently found Russian-linked groups encouraging young Africans to join security or industrial jobs that later led to frontline work.

In August, South Africa also warned young women about fake online job offers in Russia. Similar cases across Kenya and Nigeria have exposed how criminal rings exploit Africans desperate for work opportunities abroad.