{"id":122170,"date":"2026-02-24T14:14:41","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T19:14:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/south-african-president-thanks-putin-after-17-men-lured-to-russian-frontlines-begin-returning-home-122170"},"modified":"2026-02-24T14:14:41","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T19:14:41","slug":"south-african-president-thanks-putin-after-17-men-lured-to-russian-frontlines-begin-returning-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/south-african-president-thanks-putin-after-17-men-lured-to-russian-frontlines-begin-returning-home-122170","title":{"rendered":"South African president thanks Putin after 17 men \u2018lured\u2019 to Russian frontlines begin returning home"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin<\/a> after 17 men who the government said were “lured” to Russian frontlines in its war against Ukraine began returning home.<\/p>\n

In a statement Tuesday, Ramaphosa\u2019s office said the South African government, working closely with Russian authorities, secured the repatriation of the men after receiving distress calls requesting assistance.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The group, ranging in age from 20 to 39, was allegedly recruited into “mercenary activities.”<\/p>\n

The circumstances surrounding their recruitment remain under investigation.<\/p>\n

US SPECIAL ENVOY WITKOFF ANNOUNCES US, UKRAINIAN AND RUSSIAN DELEGATIONS AGREED TO PRISONER SWAP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Ramaphosa expressed gratitude to Putin for responding positively to his request for help during a Feb. 10 phone call between the two leaders.<\/p>\n

Four of the men have already returned to South Africa<\/a>, while 11 are expected to arrive soon.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Two remain in Russia \u2014 one receiving treatment at a hospital in Moscow and another being processed before finalizing travel arrangements.<\/p>\n

KENYA DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM RUSSIA OVER RECRUITMENT OF CITIZENS TO FIGHT IN UKRAINE WAR<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

South Africa\u2019s embassy in Moscow is continuing to monitor the hospitalized individual until he is cleared to travel, according to Ramaphosa’s office.<\/p>\n

Ukraine\u2019s Foreign Minister<\/a> Andrii Sybiha said in November that Kyiv estimates at least 1,436 foreign nationals from 36 African countries have been recruited to fight for Russia, warning the true number may be higher.<\/p>\n

AMERICANS WARNED OF AL QAEDA-LINKED TERRORIST PRESENCE IN POPULAR VACATION GETAWAY<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Sybiha said Russia uses a range of tactics to recruit foreigners, including financial incentives, deception and coercion.<\/p>\n

“Signing a contract is equivalent to signing a death sentence,” he wrote on X. “Foreign citizens in the Russian army have a sad fate. Most of them are immediately sent to the so-called \u2018meat assaults,\u2019 where they are quickly killed.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source – https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/south-african-president-thanks-putin-after-17-men-lured-russian-frontlines-begin-returning-home <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin after 17 men who the government said were “lured” to Russian frontlines in its war […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_2902945987_2902945987":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[16563],"tags":[],"stock_ticker":[],"class_list":["post-122170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-market-news","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSouth African president thanks Putin after 17 men \u2018lured\u2019 to Russian frontlines begin returning home - Wall Street PR<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/south-african-president-thanks-putin-after-17-men-lured-to-russian-frontlines-begin-returning-home-122170\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"South African president thanks Putin after 17 men \u2018lured\u2019 to Russian frontlines begin returning home - 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