Four of the 19 South African men who were lured to Russia with false‑job promises and later forced into combat in Ukraine have finally touched down on home soil. The group, part of a larger contingent of 17‑plus South Africans stranded in the Donbas region, landed at OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, after months of diplomatic pressure and a high‑level phone call between President Cyril Ramaphosa and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Family members, who had been receiving only sporadic WhatsApp messages, expressed relief as the men were greeted by government officials and health workers. “Seeing them walk through the arrivals hall feels like a miracle,” said Phumla Zuma, whose son was among those rescued. The remaining 15 men are still in Russia, with one reported paralysed and another seriously injured; authorities say negotiations for their return are ongoing.
The Hawks continue to investigate the recruitment network that trafficked the men, and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has pledged to provide medical and psychosocial support to the returnees.
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