South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday welcomed the return of nationals who were reportedly lured into the Russia-Ukraine war, following diplomatic engagement between Pretoria and Moscow.
According to the public broadcaster SABC, Ramaphosa expressed “heartfelt gratitude” to Russian President Vladimir Putin for supporting their repatriation after pledging assistance during a telephone conversation on 10 February.
Last Wednesday, four South African men who had been fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine returned home. The men were reportedly enticed to travel to Russia for employment opportunities in July last year but later found themselves deployed in the conflict.
A presidential statement indicated that the repatriation followed distress calls from 17 South African men aged between 20 and 39. Eleven are currently en route to South Africa, while two remain in Russia — one hospitalised in Moscow and another awaiting travel arrangements.
The South African Embassy in Moscow will continue to monitor the hospitalised individual until his full recovery. Authorities have also launched an investigation into the recruitment process that led the men into alleged mercenary activities.