A PLANNED trip out of Mzansi ended in handcuffs for nine foreign nationals after authorities allegedly uncovered plans to travel abroad to take part in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Tap here to download the FREE Daily Sun App
The suspects were cornered during a coordinated operation at OR Tambo International Airport and a hotel in Bruma on Sunday night, 8 November 2026.
They are expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrates Court soon on charges relating to the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act 15 of 1998.
Hawks operation leads to nine arrests
Hawks national spokeswoman Colonel Katlego Mogale said the arrests followed a joint probe involving several local and international law enforcement agencies.
The operation brought together INTERPOL, the Hawks’ Crimes Against the State and Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit based in Germiston, SAPS Crime Intelligence, the Modus Operandi Centre, the Gauteng Provincial Tracking Team and various security companies.
Mogale said the team acted on information gathered during the investigation before moving in on the suspects.
Acting on intelligence gathered during the investigation, the multidisciplinary team operationalised an intervention that resulted in the arrest of the nine suspects, aged between 20 and 26, last night (Sunday). The suspects were allegedly preparing to board flights out of the country when they were apprehended.
Suspects face foreign military assistance charges
ALSO READ: Ramaphosa: Angiyindawo!
The nine suspects are expected to face charges linked to the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act. The Act regulates South Africans and foreign nationals providing military assistance abroad without the necessary authorisation.
Head of the Hawks in Gauteng, Brigadier Paulina Sekgobela, praised the teams involved in the operation.
“The Hawks reiterate their commitment to working with local and international law enforcement agencies to combat crime and ensure compliance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa,” she said.
Efforts to bring South Africans home from the war
The arrests come as Mzansi continues efforts to bring home citizens allegedly recruited to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.
In February 2026, President Cyril Ramaphosa and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed arrangements to bring back 17 South Africans. This followed distress calls in November 2025 from men trapped in the war-torn Donbas region.
The group, mainly from KZN, with one man from the Eastern Cape, was allegedly lured by promises of well-paid jobs before becoming involved in the conflict.
The two presidents pledged support for the process of bringing them home.
Officials from both countries have continued discussions to arrange their return.
