Evidence shows that in July 2024, two South African individuals connected with a recruiter known as “@Dash” on Discord while playing the military simulation game Arma 3.
The recruits were attracted by promises of financial compensation, potential Russian citizenship, and educational opportunities. After a series of online conversations, the two men met with the recruiter in Cape Town and subsequently traveled to Russia via the United Arab Emirates, where they signed one-year military contracts in September.
The reporte added that within weeks of their enlistment in St. Petersburg, one of the men was reported killed while fighting in Ukraine. This situation has raised alarm in South Africa, where it has been illegal since 1998 to enlist in foreign military services.
The recruitment effort comes amid Russia’s increasing desperation for soldiers, as the country has faced significant losses since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Additionally, connections to other prominent figures, such as the daughter of former President Jacob Zuma, have surfaced, implicating further recruitment efforts targeting South Africans and others from neighboring countries.
