Colombian mercenaries in Ukraine: Claims without evidence
The Russians claim that in the Kursk region, they are encountering not only soldiers from the Ukrainian Armed Forces but also Colombian mercenaries. However, neither Ukraine nor Russia provides official information about foreign volunteers on the front.
Many reports presented by Russian media or government representatives are elements of propaganda. Such reports are part of the information war conducted by the Russian Federation.
"Our assault units are not only engaging with Ukrainian Armed Forces in battles for Gornal and the Monastery of Białogorsky; Colombian mercenaries are also being brought in," claims an anonymous source from the Ria Novosti agency. The same source alleges that Colombian mercenaries have been brought to the border of the regions of Sumy and Kursk.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, Kyiv uses foreign mercenaries as "cannon fodder", but no evidence has been provided to support these theories. However, the ministry has repeatedly stated in its declarations that Russian forces will continue to target them across the entire territory of Ukraine.
The Ambassador of Colombia in Moscow, Hector Isidro Arenas Neira, admitted in an interview with the Ria Novosti agency that Bogotá does not have precise data on the number of Colombians participating in the conflict in Ukraine. It is known that about 70–80 have died on the front.
Foreign volunteers in Ukraine. No official data available
No official information is available regarding foreign volunteers fighting on the front. The only public statement about the number of foreigners in the Ukrainian Armed Forces comes from March 2022, when it was mentioned that there were 2,000 soldiers from 52 nationalities.
The exact figures remain undisclosed, but drawing from military information, various leaks, and personal expertise, BBC News Ukraine correspondent Zhanna Bezpiatchuk reports that the majority of foreign fighters originate from the United States, Belarus, Russia, Georgia, and Colombia.
Source: Ria Novosti, BBC News Ukraine
