South African Citizens Stranded in War-Torn Donbas Amid Ukraine-Russia Conflict

Thu Nov 06 2025 16:18:12 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Seventeen South Africans, aged 20 to 39, have found themselves trapped in the Donbas region after allegedly joining mercenary forces linked to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. President Cyril Ramaphosa's government is launching an investigation into their recruitment.

The South African government has confirmed that 17 citizens are currently stranded in the Donbas region of Ukraine, having joined mercenary forces in the ongoing conflict. President Cyril Ramaphosa is initiating an investigation into how these individuals were recruited, emphasizing the government's condemnation of the exploitation of young South Africans. The men were lured by the promise of lucrative contracts. The government is actively seeking their return through diplomatic channels.

South Africa's government says it has received distress calls from 17 citizens who have joined mercenary forces in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The men are between the ages of 20 and 39 years and are trapped in Ukraine's war-torn Donbas region.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered an investigation into the circumstances that led to the recruitment of these young men into these seemingly mercenary activities, a government spokesman said. The statement did not say which side of the conflict the South Africans were fighting for.

Working as a mercenary or fighting on behalf of another government is illegal in South Africa, unless the government authorises it.

The men were lured to join the mercenary forces under the pretext of lucrative contracts, the government said.

Spokesman Vincent Magwenya added the South African government is working through diplomatic channels to secure their return.

Magwenya said 16 of the men are from KwaZulu-Natal and one is from the Eastern Cape.

President Ramaphosa and the South African government strongly condemn the exploitation of young vulnerable people by individuals working with foreign military entities, he added.