Ramaphosa Expresses Gratitude to Putin as South African Men Lured into Russia-Ukraine War Begin Returning Home
President Cyril Ramaphosa has publicly thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for his cooperation in securing the safe return of South African citizens who were deceived into fighting alongside Russian forces in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. In a statement released by the Presidency on Tuesday, Ramaphosa welcomed the repatriation of the men, describing it as a positive outcome of direct diplomatic engagement. He expressed "heartfelt gratitude" to Putin, who responded favorably to South Africa's request for assistance following a phone call between the two leaders earlier this month on February 10. The group consists of 17 South African men, aged between 20 and 39, primarily from KwaZulu-Natal, who were reportedly lured to Russia under false pretenses of high-paying civilian jobs. Instead, they were recruited and deployed to the frontlines in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. The men sent distress calls to the South African government in November 2025 after re...