South African police arrest 9 foreign nationals suspected of traveling to Russia to fight in Ukraine

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Nine foreign nationals suspected of attempting to travel from South Africa to Russia to fight in the war between Russia and Ukraine have been arrested, police said Monday.

Police arrested the suspects, who are aged between 20 and 26, late Sunday night at O.R. Tambo Airport and at a nearby hotel in Johannesburg’s Bruma neighborhood, according to Col. Katlego Mogale.

The suspects were preparing to board flights to Russia when officers intervened after an intelligence-led investigation involving Interpol and local and international law enforcement agencies, police said. They did not identify the suspects’ nationalities nor which side they allegedly planned to join.

The nine are expected to appear before the Kempton Park Magistrates’ Court on charges relating to alleged 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 acting within South Africa. Police did not give a date for the accused to appear in court.

The arrests come amid growing concern that Africans are being recruited to fight for Russia, sometimes through promises of civilian jobs that lead to the battlefield. An investigation by a nonprofit data journalism and technology organization, Code for Africa, cited by the Institute for Security Studies, identified 289 websites, domains and social media profiles used to lure recruits through false advertising and promises of generous benefits.

South Africa has helped repatriate several citizens it said were lured into the conflict. Police investigated allegations that Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, a daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma , helped lure 17 South African men to fight for Russia under promises of security training. She denied wrongdoing and resigned from Parliament in November 2025 following the allegations. Zuma-Sambudla was never formally charged but was highlighted among those who were investigated.

In a separate case, a radio presenter , Nonkululeko Mantula, was charged in late 2025 with allegedly recruiting four South African men to join Russia’s military. The men also faced charges under South Africa’s foreign military assistance law.

In neighboring Zimbabwe , authorities said in March that 15 citizens had been killed in the war in Ukraine and that they were seeking the return of 66 others. Information Minister Zhemu Soda said recruits were promised well-paid jobs but had their travel documents confiscated and were forced into combat.

Kenya ’s government said in February that more than 1,000 citizens had been recruited to fight for Russia. Families protested in Nairobi in March, demanding their relatives’ return and the prosecution of those responsible.

Following a Russia-Africa summit in Moscow in October, Ghana and Kenya said they had secured Russian commitments to stop enlisting their citizens. Ghana’s Foreign Ministry said the assurance covered both irregular recruitment and voluntary enlistment.

AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa