"I Couldn’t Stand By": South African Afrikaner Fighting in Ukraine War Speaks Out

• An Afrikaner man from South Africa has gone viral after a video surfaced of him claiming he is fighting on the frontlines in Ukraine against Russia
• In the video, he describes feeling morally compelled to act and praises the resilience of Ukrainians, highlighting the human impact of the conflict
• The South African government continues to maintain a neutral stance on the war and supports peaceful dialogue

An Afrikaner man from South Africa has allegedly gone viral after a video surfaced claiming he is fighting on the frontlines in Ukraine against Russia.

Masked and dressed in full military gear, the clip, posted on 20 February 2026, shows a man purportedly explaining his reasons for joining the war. While the ongoing conflict has drawn foreign fighters from around the world, the man’s Afrikaner identity has put him in the spotlight back home.

‘I could not just stand by’

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In the video, the man said he felt morally compelled to act rather than remain a spectator. The man said he set up a company and therefter embarke on his journey to join the frontlines in the besieged country.

“We cannot just stand by and see our nation, the next generation of Ukrainians, wiped out and crucified, and I decided to step up,” he said.

His remarks suggest he views the fight as a defence of future generations rather than a purely political conflict.

‘I fell in love with the people’

The Afrikaner volunteer described Ukraine as a country that reminds him deeply of South Africa.

“Ukraine is a beautiful country. It reminds me a lot of South Africa and the beautiful people. I fell in love with the people here. They are tenacious, and they are fighting people,”he said

He also spoke about witnessing older Ukrainians continuing to defend their country despite their age.

“We can go to the trenches, and there will be guys 60 years old but still there and still fighting. No matter what the political background is or what the changes are, the guys are still fighting.”

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Encouraging others to see the country for themselves, he added:

“If you’ve never been to Ukraine, come to Ukraine and experience it. Then you will understand why as a foreigners, you would want to fight for this country.”

SA president holds talks with European leaders on Ukraine war

In related news, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa held a series of talks with European leaders to discuss efforts to bring an end to the Russia‑Ukraine war. Ramaphosa emphasised the urgency of bilateral and trilateral dialogue between key leaders, including those of Russia, Ukraine and the United States. He called for stronger diplomatic engagement and cooperation as part of the push for peace and signalled continued engagement on the conflict in upcoming discussions. These talks form part of South Africa’s broader efforts to support international mediation aimed at ending the long‑running war.

2 Articles on the SA men trapped in Ukraine

• The Presidency announced that seventeen South African men were trapped in the war‑torn Donbas region of Ukraine after answering distress calls for help. The men said they were lured into joining mercenary forces under the pretext of lucrative employment. President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered an investigation, which was reported to be working through diplomatic channels to secure their return home.
• Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former South African president Jacob Zuma, has been accused of recruiting South African men to travel to Russia under the promise of bodyguard training and then sending them to fight in the Ukraine war. The group of men reportedly paid for what they believed was legitimate training but ended up signing contracts in Russian and being deployed to frontline combat. Zuma-Sambudla has denied orchestrating the scheme, saying she too was misled and claiming she is a victim of a scam, while the case has drawn police and political scrutiny.

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SA and Ukrainian community celebrate cultural links

Briefly News also reported that South Africans and members of the Ukrainian community gathered in the Eastern Cape to unveil a new information sign at The View Mazeppa Bay Hotel, celebrating historical and cultural links between South Africa and Ukraine. The sign features the Mazeppa schooner and a portrait of Ukrainian leader Ivan Mazepa, with the word “freedom” written in Ukrainian and all 11 South African languages as a symbol of shared values. The project aims to boost tourism, honour local heritage, and strengthen connections between the two countries.

Source: Briefly News