JOHANNESBURG, Nov 29 (Reuters) – South African police said they arrested four men en route to Russia who are suspected of having been recruited to fight in the military there.

The men were stopped at the boarding gate in Johannesburg on Friday, police said, weeks after reports another 17 South African men were stuck in Ukraine after being lured into joining mercenary forces with the promise of lucrative contracts.

It is illegal under South African law for citizens to provide military assistance to foreign governments or participate in foreign armies without authorisation.

“The arrests followed a tip-off from (Johannesburg airport police) regarding four males who were en route to Russia via the United Arab Emirates,” the elite Hawks police unit said in a statement on Saturday.

“A prelim

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