• Seventeen South African men, mostly from KwaZulu-Natal, are stranded in Ukraine's Donbas region after being tricked with promises of well-paying jobs.

• Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya says the government is using diplomatic channels to bring them home and has launched an investigation into their recruitment.

Seventeen South African men are trapped in the middle of the war in Ukraine - and they're begging for help to get back home.

The men, aged between 20 and 39, say they were lured with fake promises of good jobs. Now they're stuck in the Donbas region, one of the areas hardest hit by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Most of them are from KwaZulu-Natal, with one from the Eastern Cape.

Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the government is working through diplomatic channels to bring the men home.

He said President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned "the exploitation of young, vulnerable people by individuals working with foreign military entities."

The government has started an investigation to find out how the men were recruited and sent into what appears to be illegal mercenary work.

South African law forbids citizens from fighting for foreign armies or providing military help without government approval under the Foreign Military Assistance Act of 1998.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, creating a brutal war that has killed thousands and forced millions to flee.

Ramaphosa said he has spoken directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who "appreciated our balanced approach."