Ramaphosa thanks Putin for release of South Africans fighting for Russia

Repatriation of South African Citizens from Russia

On Tue, Oct 24, 2023, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin for facilitating the return of 17 South African citizens. These individuals were reportedly misled into traveling to Russia under the pretense of receiving bodyguard training but were subsequently found in the conflict zone in Ukraine.

Current Status of Repatriated Individuals

As of the latest update, four of these individuals have successfully returned to South Africa, with an additional eleven expected to arrive shortly. Two individuals remain in Russia; one is hospitalized in Moscow, and the other is undergoing administrative travel processing.

The group initially contacted the South African government with distress signals in November after becoming trapped in the Donbas region, a central area of conflict in Ukraine. Following these developments, President Ramaphosa engaged with President Putin to address the situation. An investigation is underway to determine how these individuals were deceived into participating in foreign military activities. The focus of the investigation includes potential human trafficking, fraud, and violations of South African laws that prohibit citizens from serving in foreign military forces without official authorization.

President Ramaphosa has reiterated South Africa's commitment to achieving a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict through diplomatic negotiations.

This announcement coincides with the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia. During a commemorative address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asserted that Russian objectives in the conflict have not been achieved and emphasized Ukraine's dedication to securing peace and justice. He stressed that any peace settlement must honor the sacrifices made by Ukrainians during the conflict.

Based on reporting by Africanews.