Family members of the four MK fighters who have returned from Russia say the men described harrowing and racist treatment at the hands of Russian officers.
Upon arrival, they were forced to burn their belongings, stripped of their identities, and issued Russian fatigues, they said.
Without preparation or training, they were thrust directly into the war zone, shouted at, abused, and treated as expendable outsiders, living under constant fear of Ukrainian drone strikes.
The Sunday Times can reveal that a 39-year-old man from KwaZulu-Natal deployed by Russia to the Donbas war zone in Ukraine was injured in a drone attack in December, resulting in the amputation of his foot.
Another South African man, a 45-year-old from the same province, has been confined to a wheelchair since he was injured in a drone attack. His colleagues are unsure if his condition is permanent.
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