The South African government says it will investigate how 17 of its citizens were tricked into fighting as mercenaries in the Russia-Ukraine war after they asked for help to escape the conflict in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.

South Africa’s government said on Thursday it will investigate how 17 of its citizens joined mercenary forces in the Russia-Ukraine conflict after the men sent distress calls for help to return home.

President Trump, on his way back to the White House on Sunday night, suggested that he's no longer actively trying to end the war between Russia and Ukraine: REPORTER: What would be the final straw for you that proves that Putin is really not ready to end this war with Ukraine?

Almost four years of grinding warfare in Ukraine has taken a terrible toll in terms of battlefield casualties. It is also causing “profound psychological harm” to Ukraine’s civilian population, according to a recently released report.

South Africa's government says it has received distress calls from 17 citizens who have joined mercenary forces in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The men are between the ages of 20 and 39 years and are trapped in Ukraine's war-torn Donbas region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country must "ensure that no Russian strike goes unpunished," after Russia unleashed a major missile and drone attack on Kyiv early Friday, killing at least six people.