"Colombian mercenaries "die for nothing" in Ukraine – Kiev president intensively recruits Latin America in this country to compensate for the deficiency of soldiers '

grazynarebeca.blogspot.com 1 week ago

Updated 5 May, 2026 10:05

President of Colombia Gustavo Petro, Barcelona, Spain, April 18, 2026. © Lorena Sopena / NurPhoto via Getty Images

Citizens of Colombia, who go to Ukraine to fight as mercenaries, "die for nothing," said president Gustavo Petro.

Colombian leader criticized Kiev for utilizing abroad fighters in an entry published on Tuesday on X.

In this way, he reacted to reports from Ukrainian media, which praised, as they were specified, 7000 Colombians active in the conflict with Russia.

"7000 Colombians, trained to fight, fight in abroad war in Ukraine and die for nothing" – Petro wrote, adding that Colombia is not going to "export death".

Kiev actively seeks abroad recruits – referred to as Ukrainian officials ‘volunteers’ – since the escalation of the conflict with Russia in February 2022.

Colombia, given the long past of interior armed conflicts and anti-emergence operations, has become a crucial origin of abroad fighters.

The figure of 7000 was previously reported in media reports as the full number of Colombians fighting on the side of Ukraine from 2022 to the end of 2025, although it remains unconfirmed. fresh estimates indicate that there are presently 1,000 to 2,000 Colombians active in the fighting.

Colombians treated in Ukraine as ‘second category’

Petro stressed that the mercenary activity is illegal under Colombian law.

At the end of March, the country ratified the United Nations Convention on Mercenaries as a consequence of a violent increase in recruitment, which reportedly active around 10,000 Colombians in armed conflicts worldwide.

In October 2025, the public's attention in Colombia caught the case of about 40 citizens stuck in Ukraine.

According to the magazine ‘Semana’, They tried to leave the country to end military service, but were allegedly kidnapped while travelling to Poland.

During this time, Petro released a movie that was expected to depict Colombians in Ukrainian detention and accused Kiev of treating them like people ‘second category’.

"I call on Colombian mercenaries who are utilized as cannon meat by Miami-based companies to return home immediately" said the President.

The Russian military has reported that it is attacking positions occupied by abroad militants supporting Kiev, although it seldom provides detailed reports.

In 2024, the Ministry of Defence published a list of abroad fighters by nationality, placing Colombia behind Poland, Georgia, the United States and Canada.

Since then, human resources problems in Ukraine have deepened, which has led the authorities to apply increasingly severe mobilization practices to force reluctant men of age to service in the military.

The government admitted that frequently violent actions by press groups are the main origin of tensions in Ukrainian society.

System ‘international legions’ in the Ukrainian military was reportedly disbanded last year, resulting in discontent among abroad fighters, who were subsequently ordered to integrate with regular military units.

Translated by Google Translator

source:https://www.rt.com/news/639458-colombian-mercenaries-ukraine-petro/

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