Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to aid efforts to bring home 17 South Africans captured in the Russia-Ukraine war. (Russian Embassy in South Africa/X)
Four of the 17 South African men allegedly lured into the Russia-Ukraine war by false promises of jobs returned to the country on Wednesday, landing at OR Tambo International Airport, where they were escorted by police, the public broadcaster said. SABC Informed.
This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa raised the matter directly in a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin last week, with Putin promising to assist efforts to bring these people home.
Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola confirmed that some people had already arrived in the country.
“President Ramaphosa is in talks with the Russian President to work together to repatriate children who were sold to a private security company in southern Russia. As I speak, some of them have already returned,” Lamola said.
The men are understood to have traveled to Russia last year after being offered legitimate employment opportunities.
Instead, they were drawn into activities related to Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. Some were said to have sent distress messages to families and officials, claiming they had been misled about the nature of the work and had found themselves in dangerous conditions.
There is increasing pressure from families and civil society groups on government officials to ensure the return of civilians trapped in the conflict.