South Africa says 17 citizens trapped in Donbas after joining Russia-Ukraine war

It is unclear whether the citizens were fighting on behalf of Russia or Ukraine.

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The men are between the ages of 20 and 39 years and are trapped in Ukraine's war-torn Donbas region.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has "ordered an investigation into the circumstances that led to the recruitment of these young men into these seemingly mercenary activities," a government spokesman said. The statement did not say which side of the conflict the South Africans were fighting for.

Working as a mercenary or fighting on behalf of another government is illegal in South Africa, unless the government authorises it.

The men were lured to join the mercenary forces under the pretext of lucrative contracts, the government said.