Developing story: details are limited and police have not yet identified the suspects' nationalities. This report will be updated.
Police say nine men aged 20 to 26 were arrested on Sunday night at OR Tambo International Airport and at a hotel in Bruma, Johannesburg, on suspicion of trying to leave South Africa to fight in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The suspects were allegedly preparing to board flights out of the country when they were apprehended. Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said: "The multidisciplinary team operationalised an intervention that resulted in the arrest of the nine suspects."
They are expected to face charges relating to the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act, which restricts South Africans and foreign nationals in the country from offering military assistance abroad without authorisation. No court date has been announced; one report says they are expected at the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court.
What police have said
Police describe the operation as intelligence-led, involving local and international law enforcement agencies, including Interpol. Mogale said the suspects "were allegedly preparing to board flights out of the country when they were apprehended."
Who the men are
Police have not said what nationality the men are, or which side they allegedly planned to join. One account says most are from KwaZulu-Natal and one from the Eastern Cape, but that detail has not been confirmed by police and conflicts with descriptions of the group as foreign nationals.
What we do not yet know
- The suspects' nationalities and which side they intended to fight for.
- The exact charges and the date and venue of their first court appearance.
- Whether the men were recruited, and by whom. Claims that they were lured by promises of work have not been attributed to police.
The suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
