South Africa detains foreigners suspected of heading to join Russian forces

South African police have arrested nine foreign nationals suspected of seeking to travel from the country to fight in Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The suspects were arrested late Sunday night at OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg and at a nearby hotel, police said. Numerous reports have detailed how people from Africa and other continents have been tricked into travelling to Russia only to be forced to join Moscow’s grinding war on its neighbour.

Police officials said the suspects, aged between 20 and 26, were preparing to board flights to Russia when officers intervened. The men were detained following an investigation involving Interpol and local law enforcement agencies.

Neither the suspects’ nationalities nor their plans once they arrived in Russia were given. The nine are expected to appear before a court on charges relating to violations of South Africa’s Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act.

The law prohibits mercenary activity and regulates military assistance to parties in foreign conflicts, including recruitment and training. Its provisions also apply to foreign nationals in South Africa. Police did not give a date for the accused to appear in court.

The arrests come amid growing concern that many Africans, Asians and South Americans are being recruited to fight for Russia in its four-and-a-half-year-long war in Ukraine, often lured by promises of civilian jobs that in reality lead to the battlefield.

Last September, Amnesty International accused Russia of tricking foreigners into fighting on the front lines in Ukraine in what amounts to “human trafficking”.

Victims from South Africa, Brazil, Colombia, Sri Lanka and more were duped into travelling to Russia to take up well-paid civilian or non-combat jobs, then forced to join the Russian army on arrival, the report said.

In February this year, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that more than 1,700 people from 36 African nations are known to be fighting for Russia in its war on Ukraine, urging governments to warn their citizens against joining the conflict, and accusing Russia of “trying to drag African citizens into a deadly war”.

Earlier this year, South Africa said it had secured the return of 11 men lured into fighting for Russia. Kenyans and Cameroonians are among other African nationalities to have been killed in the war.