SOUTH AFRICA — A 38-year-old foreign national has been arrested and is facing court proceedings after allegedly attempting to join the Russia-Ukraine war from South Africa. The suspect was intercepted at OR Tambo International Airport by a multidisciplinary law enforcement team and is now facing charges under the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act 15 of 1998.
The individual is scheduled to appear at the Kempton Park Magistrates Court on Thursday. The arrest, which took place on Wednesday night, was executed following intelligence regarding the suspect’s travel intentions.
The operation was carried out by an integrated, multidisciplinary investigation team. This coalition comprised INTERPOL Pretoria National Central Bureau (NCB), the Hawks’ Crimes Against the State and Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit based in Germiston, international law enforcement agencies, South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Intelligence, the Modus Operandi Centre, the Gauteng Provincial Tracking Team, and various security companies.
Addressing the operation, a spokesperson for the Hawks stated, “Acting on intelligence gathered during the investigation, the multidisciplinary team operationalised an intervention that resulted in the arrest. The suspect was allegedly en route to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war.”
This latest interception follows a related law enforcement operation earlier in the week involving nine additional foreign nationals. The suspects, aged between 20 and 26, were apprehended on Sunday night at OR Tambo International Airport and at a hotel in Bruma.
At the time of their arrest, authorities reported that the nine individuals were allegedly preparing to board outbound flights out of the country when police moved in to apprehend them in connection with the similar alleged attempt to join the foreign conflict.
