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South Africa: 11 of 17 men lured to fight for Russia in Ukraine set to return home

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February 25, 2026 (Updated: February 26, 2026) 2 min read 1 source 0 Positive AI Assisted
South Africa: 11 of 17 men lured to fight for Russia in Ukraine set to return home
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TheWkly Analysis

South Africa’s government said that 11 of a group of 17 men who were lured into fighting for Russia in Ukraine were set to return home soon. An initial four of the men landed back in the country last week. A further two remained in Russia, with one in a hospital in Moscow. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office stated that Ramaphosa raised the fate of the 17 men, who sent distress calls to the South African government in November after getting trapped in Ukraine’s Donbas region, in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin this month. Reports of African men being lured into Russia with promises of jobs and ending up on Ukraine’s front line have become more frequent in recent months, creating tensions between Moscow and some of the countries involved. A Kenyan intelligence report presented to lawmakers last week estimated that more than 1,000 Kenyans had been recruited to fight on Russia’s side in the war in Ukraine.

Multiple perspectives analyzed from 0 sources
What this means for you:
South African families reunite with 11 returning men, ending months of distress from November distress calls.
Two stranded South Africans in Russia face prolonged separation, with one hospitalized in Moscow.
Kenyan families endure uncertainty as over 1,000 nationals remain recruited into Ukraine frontline fighting.
Your Wallet
This good-news blip won't lower your groceries, gas, or rent in South Africa or affect global prices. Job hunters, it flags scam risks for overseas gigs—stick local. Skip EZA for your 401k; focus on stable investments amid SA's bigger woes like power cuts.

Key Entities

  • Cyril Ramaphosa Person

    South Africa's President who raised the men's plight in a phone call with Putin to secure their return.

  • Vladimir Putin Person

    Russia's President engaged in diplomatic discussion with Ramaphosa regarding the trapped South African fighters.

  • Donbas region Place

    Ukraine's eastern area where the 17 South African men were trapped after being lured to fight for Russia.

  • Russia-Ukraine war Concept

    Ongoing conflict driving Russia's recruitment of foreign fighters like the South Africans and Kenyans mentioned.

Multi-Perspective Analysis

Left-Leaning View

Frames Russia as exploiter of vulnerable Africans, emphasizing humanitarian repatriation and diplomatic pushback against imperial recruitment.

Centrist View

Reports factual diplomatic progress and regional patterns neutrally, noting tensions without assigning blame.

Right-Leaning View

Highlights individual agency in seeking jobs abroad while acknowledging government intervention as a pragmatic success.

Source & Verification

Source: Joy Online RSS

Status: AI Processed

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Your Opinion

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