South Africa probes how 17 men were duped into joining mercenaries in Ukraine war
The South African government announced on Thursday that it would launch an investigation into how 17 of its citizens were deceived into joining mercenary groups in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. These individuals had sought help to escape the conflict in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.
According to President Cyril Ramaphosa, the South African men, aged between 20 and 39, were enticed into joining mercenary forces with promises of lucrative employment contracts. After finding themselves trapped in Ukraine, they reached out for assistance.
While it remains unclear which side the men were fighting on, there have been accusations against Russia for recruiting individuals from various countries to participate in the war under false pretenses. Reports suggest that women from South Africa and other African nations were also misled into working in Russian drone factories through deceptive social media campaigns.
In a statement from President Ramaphosa’s office, strong condemnation was expressed towards the exploitation of vulnerable young people by those collaborating with foreign military entities. Efforts are underway to repatriate the 17 men back to South Africa through diplomatic channels.
Instances of citizens from India and Nepal being recruited to fight for Russia under the guise of job opportunities have also been highlighted. Ukraine has accused Russia of employing mercenaries from African countries and other regions in the conflict.
Last year, an investigation revealed how numerous African women were deceived into working at a drone plant in Tatarstan, Russia, as the country faced a labor shortage during wartime.
To combat the spread of misinformation, the South African government issued a warning to young women in August about fake advertisements promoting job and study opportunities in Russia disseminated by social media influencers.
