17 South Africans stranded in Ukraine warzone

Seventeen South African mercenaries are stuck in no-man’s land in the middle of the Russia-Ukraine war - and they want to come home.

- Eric Mthobeli Naki

But it’s not certain whose side they are on.

The Ukrainian embassy in Pretoria denied the hired guns were fighting for them, while the Russian embassy refused to comment.

The new Ukrainian ambassador, Olexander Scherba, said authorities in Ukraine are unaware of any group of South African citizens in this kind of predicament.

“Seems like they've been fighting on the side of the aggressor [Russia] in this war. Africans all over the continent get fooled and lured to fight in this colonial war,” Scherba said.

“Our message and strong appeal to all SA citizens: Please don’t fall for it, don’t break the law of your country and don’t take the side of the aggressor. No money in the world is worth it.”