KEY POINTS
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Nine Zimbabweans aged 20 to 26 were arrested in Johannesburg.
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They face charges under South Africa’s foreign military assistance law.
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More than 1,700 Africans from 36 countries were reportedly recruited to fight for Russia.
Nine Zimbabwean nationals have been arrested in South Africa for allegedly attempting to leave the country to join the Russia-Ukraine war, according to South African police.
The suspects, aged between 20 and 26, were arrested on Sunday evening, November 8, by a multidisciplinary law enforcement team operating in and around Johannesburg.
Authorities said the group was preparing to board flights out of South Africa when officers apprehended them. However, police have not disclosed their intended destination or whether they planned to fight for Russia or Ukraine.
Five of the suspects were arrested at OR Tambo International Airport, South Africa’s busiest airport, while the remaining four were picked up at a hotel in Bruma, east of Johannesburg.
The operation involved Interpol and other law enforcement agencies.
Suspects face charges under military assistance law
The nine Zimbabweans have been charged with violating South Africa’s Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act, which prohibits citizens from participating in mercenary activities or providing military assistance to foreign governments without the required authorisation.
They have all appeared in court, according to state prosecutors.
South African police said the involvement of Interpol and other international law enforcement agencies suggested that the suspects may also have violated laws in their home countries.
However, authorities have not identified the organisations allegedly involved in arranging their travel or provided further details about the recruitment network.
It also remains unclear whether the group was travelling to Russia or Ukraine, both of which have recruited foreign nationals to support their military operations.
African nationals increasingly drawn into Ukraine war
The arrests come amid growing concerns over the recruitment of African nationals to fight in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Citizens from several African countries, including Kenya, Ghana and South Africa, have travelled to join the conflict, with some reportedly claiming they were deceived by recruiters and did not know they were being sent to the battlefield.
An assessment by Ukrainian intelligence earlier in 2026 estimated that more than 1,700 people from 36 African countries had been recruited to fight for Russia.
Kenya has also raised concerns about the recruitment of its citizens. The government estimated that 252 Kenyans had been illegally conscripted into the Russian military.
In March, Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi travelled to Moscow to address the issue. He subsequently said an agreement had been reached to stop the recruitment of Kenyan nationals.
Zimbabwe and South Africa report casualties and recruitment cases
Zimbabwe has also reported deaths among its citizens recruited to fight in Ukraine.
In March 2026, the Zimbabwean government disclosed that 15 of its nationals had been killed after being recruited to fight for Russia. More than 60 others were reportedly still trapped on the frontlines at the time.
South Africa has separately dealt with cases involving its citizens allegedly recruited into the conflict.
In February 2026, the country secured the return of 17 South Africans who were allegedly tricked into joining the war.
South African authorities had earlier arrested five people, including a journalist, in December 2025 over allegations that they were recruiting individuals to fight in the conflict.
Although much of the reported recruitment of African nationals has been linked to Russia, Ukraine has also sought to enlist foreign fighters, including people from African countries.
The latest arrests underline continuing concerns about recruitment networks operating across national borders and the risks facing African nationals drawn into the conflict through alleged deceptive job offers or other arrangements.
