President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered an investigation into the circumstances that led to the recruitment of 17 young men into suspected mercenary activities in the war-torn region of Donbas in the Ukraine.

This according to a statement released by the Presidency on Thursday morning.

"The government of South Africa has received distress calls for assistance to return home, from 17 South African men, between the ages of 20 - 39 years, who are trapped in the war-torn Donbas, Ukraine.

"The seventeen, 16 of whom come from KwaZulu-Natal and one from the Eastern Cape, were lured to join mercenary forces involved in the Ukraine-Russia war under the pretext of lucrative employment contracts," the statement read.

South Africa's Foreign Military Assistance Act of 1998 prohibits South African citizens and entities from offering or providing "military assistance to foreign governments or participate in armies of foreign governments unless authorised by the South African government".

"President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered an investigation into the circumstances that led to the recruitment of these young men into these seemingly mercenary activities. The South African government is working through diplomatic channels to secure the return of these young men following their calls for assistance to return home.

"President Ramaphosa and the South African government strongly condemn the exploitation of young vulnerable people by individuals working with foreign military entities," the statement concluded.