South African Mercenaries Caught in Russia’s War: Government Launches Inquiry
South Africa has launched an official investigation after it became known that its citizens were part of Russian military formations.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to Politico.
According to an official statement from Pretoria, a group of men aged 20 to 39 sought help after finding themselves in an active combat zone in eastern Ukraine. According to the authorities, they were allegedly recruited under the pretext of lucrative employment contracts, after which they ended up in armed units.
The South African government has launched an investigation to establish the circumstances of the recruitment and the individuals or organizations involved in the process.
A representative of Ukrainian intelligence noted that they were fighting for Russia, as South Africa has not made any official statements about the participation of its citizens on the Ukrainian side.
The Ukrainian side emphasized that it does not recruit foreigners, while Russia is systematically expanding its recruitment network in Africa and the Middle East due to losses and personnel shortages.
As of August 1, 2025, more than 100 foreign mercenaries from 33 countries who were recruited by Russia are being held in Ukrainian captivity. These fighters, originating from countries such as Cameroon, Morocco, Somalia, Senegal, and Egypt, were reportedly lured into service through deception and financial promises.
“Russia actively bribes, deceives, and coerces individuals not only from neighboring Central Asian countries into signing contracts,” the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War stated, emphasizing that Russia treats these individuals as expendable, using them in high-casualty assaults.
Ukrainian Intelligence also informed the U.S. Congress that Russia has recruited over 20,000 Cuban citizens to fight as mercenaries in its war against Ukraine, making Cuba the largest source of foreign fighters for Moscow.
According to Intelligence officials, this recruitment benefits the Kremlin economically and politically, as it avoids social costs while exploiting vulnerable Cubans lured by low-paying contracts and false promises.
Moreover, around 5,000 North Korean construction troops and 1,000 military engineers have been sent to Russia since September, allegedly to assist in infrastructure and mine-clearing operations near Ukraine’s border.
In total, over 10,000 North Korean personnel are now stationed in Russian territories close to the conflict zone, with some involved in security-related tasks.
As The Gaze reported earlier, in South Africa, Russia is actively recruiting young women to work in a factory producing strike drones, forcing the government to warn citizens and showing how the Kremlin exploits international structures and vulnerable populations for military purposes.