South Africans recruited for Russia war via military simulation game 'Arma 3'

South Africans have reportedly been recruited to fight in Russia's war in Ukraine via the gaming platform Discord. One even lost his life on the front line after signing up to become a soldier.

Investigative journalists have revealed that the recruitment happened while users were playing the military simulation game Arma 3.

Antony Sguazzin, a senior writer at Bloomberg News, says it's certainly an unusual method of recruitment.

"There have been quite a few examples of Russia recruiting people from around the African continent, but this is the first time we've come across them using gamers."

In December, five people appeared in court in Johannesburg for allegedly luring South Africans to Russia to fight in the Ukraine war under false pretences.

The group was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport nearly two weeks ago, moments before they were due to board a flight to Moscow.

Two of the accused, SABC radio presenter Nonkululeko Mantula and MK Party member Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, were accused of recruiting 17 young men under the false promise of receiving specialised training to serve as bodyguards.

Sguazzin says, unlike in that case, these recruits knew they were signing up to serve in the Russian army.

"I'm not sure they were told they would be deployed to the front immediately, or whether they were given the full details of what they would be expected to do once they got to Russia and signed a contract with the Russian military."

He says the recruits were approached by a fellow gamer who would then usher them through the recruitment process.

Sguazzin explains that the game they were recruited through, Arma 3, is a hyper-realistic military interactive game.

"Evidently, it's very hi-tech and would be a rich hunting ground for people targeting people who are interested in military history and activities."

One of the two men who were recruited travelled to Russia in mid-2025 and signed a contract with the Russian military.

"Within 5 months, he was killed on the front in Ukraine," says Sguazzin.

To listen to Sguazzin in conversation with CapeTalk's Amy MacIver, use the audio player below: