South Africa is raising alarm over reports that its citizens are being lured into fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war. Ukraine’s ambassador says at least 17 South Africans were deceived into joining Russian-linked mercenary forces, violating South African law. Some men, aged 20 to 39, were allegedly promised lucrative security jobs before finding themselves trapped in combat in Ukraine’s Donbas region. Local reports claim they were recruited through Jacob Zuma’s MK Party, prompting President Cyril Ramaphosa to launch a full investigation. Similar warnings have emerged in Kenya, highlighting how economic hardship and unemployment are pushing Africans into foreign conflicts.