Police wait at airport as four South Africans lured into fighting in Russia fly home
Four South African men lured into fighting for Russia in Ukraine have landed back on home soil today, according to the country’s broadcaster.
Police were waiting at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, where the men landed, though a spokesman declined to comment, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported.
It is illegal under South African law to provide military assistance to foreign governments or participate in foreign armies unless approved.
In November, the government said it would investigate how 17 of its citizens joined mercenary forces fighting in the Ukraine war after the men sent distress calls to return home.
Cyril Ramaphosa’s team said after a call with Vladimir Putin that the two leaders had “pledged their support to the process of returning” the men.
Our military analyst Michael Clarke said in his latest Q&A that Moscow was recruiting from as many different countries as it could, with “a lot” of troops having joined from the Caribbean and African nations.
“Poor workers are signing up for, what are for them, huge amounts of money, and finding themselves on the frontline,” he said.
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