Ukrainian forces capture five Colombians recruited to fight for Russia
Photo: foreign mercenaries in the Russian army (x.com/425skala)
In June, Ukrainian troops captured five Colombian citizens who were fighting on Russia's side. They were recruited into the Russian army under the guise of serving in the rear, according to the 33rd Separate Mechanized Brigade.
The 33rd Separate Mechanized Brigade emphasized that Russia is involving citizens of other countries in the war against Ukraine. In this way, the occupying forces are trying to compensate for significant personnel losses.
"Due to significant losses, the occupiers are replenishing their forces with citizens of other countries and promising them mountains they will never see," the statement said.
The prisoners said that at first they did not realize what kind of trap they had fallen into.
In less than two months, they realized that instead of the promised service in the rear, they would be taking part in assaults.
Why the mercenaries could not retreat
According to the Ukrainian military, the Colombians could not simply refuse to carry out combat missions. Russian troops remained behind them, and an attempt to retreat could have resulted in imprisonment or even execution.
In such a situation, being captured was effectively the mercenaries' only way to save themselves from further participation in the fighting.
In August 2026, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said that citizens of 51 countries who had fought on Russia's side were being held in Ukrainian captivity.
Russia is trying to compensate for its losses on the front, which have already reached record levels. As of September 9, 2026, the total combat losses of the Russian army had exceeded 1.5 million killed and wounded.
