Nov. 6 (UPI) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered an investigation Thursday into how at least 17 South African citizens ended up fighting as mercenaries in the Donbas region of Ukraine, most of which is occupied or annexed by Russia.
Ramaphosa's office said in a statement that the government was looking into the issue after being contacted by the men for help, but did not clarify which side they were fighting for.
"The government of South Africa has received distress calls for assistance to return home, from 17 South African men, between the ages of 20 and 39 years, who are trapped in the war-torn Donbas, Ukraine.
"The 17, 16 of whom come from KwaZulu-Natal and one from the Eastern Cape, were lured to join mercenary forces involved in the Ukraine-Russia war under the pretext of lucrative employment contracts," according to the statement.
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