Four South African men who got trapped in Ukraine's Donbas region after being lured into fighting alongside Russian forces there returned home on Wednesday, public broadcaster the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported.

Police were waiting at Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo International Airport to meet the men, part of a group of 17 who sent distress calls to South Africa's government in November, the SABC said.

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa raised the fate of the trapped men in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin this month, after which his office said the two leaders had "pledged their support to the process of returning South Africans fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine."

A police spokesperson and South Africa's foreign ministry declined to comment.

The Russian embassy in Pretoria did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ramaphosa's spokesperson told Reuters: "I'm not able to confirm that except to say that the process to secure the return of the men is ongoing as discussed by both President Ramaphosa and President Putin."

Under South African law, it is illegal for citizens to provide military assistance to foreign governments or participate in foreign armies unless authorised by South Africa.

Much of the Donbas region is controlled by Russian forces and fighting has been heavy there since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

South Africa seeks to project itself as non-aligned on the war, while maintaining warm relations with Moscow as a fellow member of the BRICS group of emerging economies.

India, Nepal and Sri Lanka are among other countries that have said scores of their citizens were recruited under false pretences to join Russia's war effort.

Kenya's foreign ministry said last week it had rescued 27 Kenyans who were stranded in Russia after they were illegally enlisted to fight in Ukraine. (Reuters)

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