Russia recruited South Africans to fight against Ukraine over computer games.
Фото: Reuters
Russia used the popular gaming app Discord to recruit South African citizens to fight in Ukraine.
Bloomberg reports this.
According to the publication, two men in their 20s left South Africa in July 2024 after communicating with a recruiter using the pseudonym “Dash” on a gaming app. They were offered a one-year contract with the Russian armed forces near St. Petersburg.
After completing basic training, one of the recruits died on the front in the Luhansk region in October 2024. The whereabouts of the other are still unknown.
South Africans were promised the opportunity to obtain Russian citizenship, as well as continue their education after completing their service.
Bloomberg sources note that this recruitment practice is linked to the Russian army’s significant losses in the war against Ukraine and an acute shortage of personnel.
At the same time, Russia recruited citizens of other African countries, including Kenya, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso, but in these cases, gaming apps were not used for communication.
According to Bloomberg, Russia’s actions have drawn criticism and had legal consequences. Participation in a war on the side of a foreign state or supporting it has been illegal in South Africa since 1998. In late November, a state radio employee and four men were arrested on suspicion of recruitment. They have been charged, and their next court hearing is scheduled for February 10.
As reported, the Russian Federation is actively recruiting foreign mercenaries to participate in the war against Ukraine. According to Ukrainian intelligence, up to 25,000 Cuban citizens may be fighting on the Russian side . This makes the Cuban contingent the largest foreign contingent in the Russian military.
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