17 South Africans Fighting as Mercenaries in Ukraine

The government of the Republic of South Africa (RSA) has announced that it has received distress signals from 17 of its citizens who, having ended up among mercenaries, are participating in the ongoing war in Ukraine. According to Reuters, they are all men aged 20 to 39, who are now in Donbas under harsh conditions.

The government's statement does not specify for which side the South Africans are fighting. RSA President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered an investigation to clarify the circumstances under which these young men were recruited. The government believes they may have been lured by promises of high salaries. It should be noted that under South African law, participation in combat operations on behalf of other states is prohibited unless authorized by the government itself.

"President Ramaphosa and the South African government strongly condemn the exploitation of vulnerable young people by individuals associated with foreign military structures," the president's spokesman announced.

He added that the authorities are using diplomatic channels to bring their citizens home. Earlier, Ukraine had stated that it was holding citizens of Somalia, Sierra Leone, Cuba, and other countries fighting for Russia in prisoner-of-war camps.