SA president, Cyril Ramaphosa thanks Putin for release of South Africans lured into Russia-Ukraine war

South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed “heartfelt gratitude” to Russian President Vladimir Putin for assisting in the return of South African nationals who were reportedly drawn into the Russia–Ukraine conflict.

According to a statement from the presidency, 15 of the 17 South African men who were allegedly misled into joining Russian-linked mercenary groups have either returned home or are in the process of doing so. Four arrived back in South Africa last week, while 11 others are expected shortly. Two individuals remain in Russia.

In November, the South African government revealed it had received distress calls from the men, who said they were trapped in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine after being lured with promises that reportedly turned out to be false.

“President Ramaphosa has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to President Vladimir Putin, who responded positively to his call to support the process of returning the men home,” the statement said.

Authorities confirmed that an investigation is ongoing into how the men were recruited into what officials described as mercenary activities. South African law prohibits citizens from serving in foreign armed forces without government authorization.

The war, which began with Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, has drawn foreign fighters from multiple countries, including several African nations. Ukrainian officials previously claimed that more than 1,400 nationals from 36 African states had been identified among Russian forces.

Separate media investigations have highlighted allegations of deceptive recruitment practices across parts of Africa. In one case, Kenyan nationals said they were promised well-paying jobs abroad but instead found themselves deployed in Russia.

The issue has also stirred political controversy within South Africa. A daughter of former president Jacob Zuma recently resigned from parliament following accusations that she was linked to recruitment efforts. Local reports further alleged that some of the men had been sent to Russia for security-related training connected to the MK party led by Zuma, who served as president from 2009 to 2018.

The South African government has pledged to continue its probe while ensuring the safe return of the remaining citizens.