17 South Africans Recruited To Become Russian-Ukraine War Mercenaries

JAKARTA - The South African government received an emergency call from 17 citizens who joined the mercenaries in the Russian-Ukraine conflict. The government is now trying to repatriate them.

The men were provoked to fight under the pretext of a lucrative work contract, the statement said. All of them were between 20 and 39 years old and trapped in the Donbas area, Ukraine, which was hit by war.

"President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered an investigation into the circumstances that led to the recruitment of these youths into what appears to be mercenaries," the statement said.

The statement did not state which party was in the conflict fought for by South Africa.

"Based on South African law, providing military assistance to foreign governments or participating in foreign government forces is illegal, unless permitted by the South African government," he added.

In August, the South African government warned young people to be aware of offers of fake jobs in Russia, circulating on social media, following reports that some South African women had been tricked into creating drones.