Zakharova stated that the Foreign Ministry has no data on South African citizens in the special operation zone.

The Russian side does not have data on the citizens of the Republic of South Africa (South Africa), who were allegedly sent to the Russian Federation to train as bodyguards, but they ended up in the zone of a special military operation (SVO). This was announced on November 14 by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova.

"We don't have such data. We have not received any requests from the South African Foreign Ministry on this topic," the diplomat said at a briefing.

She clarified that if such an appeal is received, it will be considered in accordance with the established procedure and in accordance with the spirit of the strategic partnership between Russia and South Africa.

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Vincent Magwenya, the official representative of the President of South Africa, said on November 6 that the South African government had begun work on the return to their homeland of 17 citizens who had signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). The authorities stated that according to their data, the men, aged 20 to 39, got into a difficult situation in Donbass by signing a contract with the Ukrainian side. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the recruitment of South Africans.

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