Colombian cartels are sending fighters to Ukraine to learn drone warfare

According to the newspaper, over the past year, there have been repeated attempts by Colombian criminal groups to send fighters to the war in Ukraine to gain experience in drone warfare.

"The recruitment schemes are very complex, but what worries me most is the level of specialisation they’re acquiring. Former paramilitaries, former guerrillas and former soldiers are fighting and learning together here how to operate drones," a Colombian employee of a humanitarian organization in Ukraine said.

The Ukrainian military is aware of these risks and is responding to them.

Taras Palianytsia, an officer at the Foreign Recruiting Centre of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, said that the men sent by the cartels to gain experience were identified in time, screened out, and sent home. At the same time, he emphasized the high effectiveness of Colombian fighters serving in good faith.

"The Colombians can learn and adapt really quickly and withstand the difficult conditions of service. They have proven themselves to commanders, who really like these guys," Palianytsia said.

Competition for FPV and fiber-optic technologies

Drones have completely changed the nature of Colombia's long-running conflict. Whereas the country's government previously always enjoyed complete air superiority during fighting, the situation has now changed dramatically.

Last year, the Colombian military managed to neutralize 96% of attempted drone attacks through radio frequency jamming and the physical destruction of the devices. That is why the drug cartels are trying to adopt Ukraine's experience to bypass electronic warfare systems.

Criminal groups are interested in the following technologies:

• FPV drones: first-person-view attack drones that are difficult to shoot down because of their high maneuverability and explode upon impact with the target;

• Communication encryption: methods of securing the control link between the pilot and the drone;

• Warhead installation: effective methods of mounting explosive charges on drones;

• Fiber-optic cables: acquiring drones controlled via ultra-thin fiber-optic cables, making them immune to any electronic warfare systems.

"FPV drones are already starting to be used in Colombia, but what they don't yet know is how to encrypt the communication between the drone and the person piloting it, or how to set up the explosive charge the way they do here in Ukraine," said one of the Colombian FPV drone pilots fighting in Ukraine.

Analysts emphasize that preventing the transfer of military knowledge by Colombians returning home after completing their service should become a priority for international security.

Some volunteers from Latin American countries are learning to operate FPV drones in units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine so they can later use the skills they acquire in the interests of international criminal organizations.