South Africa says 2 of its nationals died fighting for Russia in Ukraine after recruitment scheme

At least two South Africans have died fighting for Russia in the war in Ukraine after being tricked into traveling there by a recruitment scheme, South Africa’s foreign minister said Thursday.

It was the first time South African authorities had confirmed any of their citizens who were allegedly lured to Russia with false promises of employment or training opportunities had been killed in the war.

Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola didn’t name the two people who died or say when or where they had died, but the Foreign Ministry said their families had been informed.

Lamola’s announcement came after he traveled to the east coast city of Durban to visit the families of 11 South Africans who returned home on Wednesday after they were allegedly recruited last year in a scheme promising them security training in Russia and ended up involved in the conflict in Ukraine.

Four men caught up in the same scheme had previously