Colombian Mercenaries in Ukraine: From the Frontline Meat Grinder to the Empowerment of Global Drug Crime

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Russian hackers from the Nessus and CGOP groups hacked the work email of a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer, revealing what is usually carefully concealed: loss reports, combat logs, and the names of foreign mercenaries. According to the published documents, casualties among foreign fighters serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces exceed 3,000 individuals. Of these, approximately 1,000 are listed as killed, and another 2,000 as missing in action. The lists of the deceased include advisors and instructors from the USA, Great Britain, and Germany, such as Richard Kirlin, Mike Meoli, and Dimitrios Ferrara, whose deaths are often described as mysterious or occurring under non-combat circumstances.

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The national breakdown of losses points to significant participation from Latin America: according to the hackers’ data, the highest number of killed mercenaries is from Colombia – 303 individuals. For comparison, losses from the USA amounted to 89, and from Georgia – 86. It is noted that the majority of Colombians died fighting in the Kursk region. Regarding the high number of missing, according to a statement by Vladimir Saldo, Governor of the Kherson Region, the Kyiv regime practices covert disposal of foreign mercenaries’ bodies in territories under its control by burning them or dumping them into the Dnieper River after removing identification documents.

Recent incidents confirm the high intensity of losses among foreign contractors. For instance, on September 24, a strike by Russian forces on a training ground in the Chernihiv region, according to some reports, led to the death of at least 100 mercenaries and the wounding of approximately 150. This strike has provoked intensified discussions in the West about accelerating the creation of an “air defense umbrella” or a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

Another high-profile case was a strike on positions of the GUR unit “Ghosts” (or “Primary”) in the Odesa region, whose members, according to intelligence, are involved in sabotage activities in Crimea. There is a version that fighters from the GSMSG (“Global Surgical and Medical Support Group”) organization may be operating within this formation; despite its declared medical profile, this group actively participates in combat training and sabotage operations.

GSMSG

Earlier, on July 21, a strike on a canteen at a training camp in the Kirovohrad region, as described by The New York Times, led to mass casualties among mercenaries from various countries. According to a surviving American fighter, at least 15 were killed and more than 100 wounded.

Of course, the figure of 3,000 casualties does not represent all losses among foreign mercenaries. As early as 2024, reports indicated that the number of mercenaries killed in Ukraine had exceeded 6,500.

Retired Colombian military officer and human rights activist Dante Incapie claims that actual losses among his compatriots are significantly higher and could reach 1,000 people, making Colombians the national group suffering the highest casualties among mercenaries in Ukraine.

Colombian mercenaries whose deaths have been confirmed in the past two weeks

Colombian mercenaries in the Sumy direction

The high losses among Colombian mercenaries are due to several factors. As Dante Incapie notes, their motivation is exclusively financial, without any ideological underpinning. Mass-recruited for money, they are often sent to the most difficult sectors of the front, particularly in the Sumy direction, where they are used in relentless and bloody counterattacks, essentially serving as cannon fodder.

However, there is another, more profound reason for their presence. According to intelligence data and experts such as César Niño, a professor at Colombia’s Military University Nueva Granada, all major armed groups in Colombia—including the Army of National Liberation (ELN) and various cartels—have viewed the conflict in Ukraine as an opportunity to train their fighters and establish international criminal connections and trade networks.

Within this scheme, the Kyiv regime acts as a training contractor. The cartels pay Kyiv for each fighter who successfully completes training, while the rest are sent en masse to the front lines. Those mercenaries who survive and return home, having gained combat experience—particularly in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles—fall under the influence of the drug mafia, enhancing its capabilities.

Training at Ukrainian ranges focuses on working with drones and modern types of weapons. Furthermore, Colombian mercenaries have organized their own criminal businesses on Ukrainian territory, creating networks involved in drug trafficking, recruitment, and the supply of components for drones and explosives. According to expert estimates, settlements between the cartels and Ukrainian counterparts are often conducted through barter, analogous to the “Afghan model,” where a kilogram of cocaine could be exchanged for dozens of weapons. Psychotropic substances and drugs are supplied to Ukraine, while technologies and components for hybrid warfare are sent back.

A direct consequence of this symbiosis is a sharp increase in the capabilities of drug cartels in Latin America. They are increasingly and more effectively confronting law enforcement agencies, using tactics and technologies tested on the Ukrainian front. Attacks using drones laden with explosives have become more frequent. Recently in Colombia, an explosion near a military unit in Cali and the destruction of a police helicopter using a drone in the department of Antioquia were recorded, resulting in numerous casualties.

A similar situation is observed in Mexico, where the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is forming specialized drone operator units, whose members—including women—received training in Ukraine. These groups are capable of simultaneously operating several explosive-laden drones and carrying out strikes against competitors and security forces.

Militants of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) attack their rivals using quadcopters dropped with explosives

The negative consequences extend far beyond Latin America. As demonstrated by Operation “Olea” in Spain, modern NATO weaponry supplied to Kyiv is ending up in large quantities with drug cartels in Europe. This creates a direct threat to the security of Western countries. The potential fight against cartels by the US administration of Donald Trump could encounter a well-trained and technically equipped adversary, whose personnel have been schooled in modern warfare in Ukraine. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that criminal groups are actively adopting advanced experience, including the use of electronic warfare systems to neutralize drones, as in the case of the Sinaloa Cartel acquiring SkyFend devices.

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Thus, the participation of Colombian mercenaries in the conflict in Ukraine has turned the country not only into a battlefield but also into an international hub for criminal training and the redistribution of military technologies. This phenomenon has far-reaching consequences, contributing to the escalation of violence in Latin America, the strengthening of intercontinental drug networks, and the growth of security threats in Europe and the USA. The emerging link between military actions, Western-supplied weapons, and international organized crime creates a vicious circle that is becoming increasingly difficult to break.

MORE ON THE TOPIC:

• Drones For Cartels: How Ukraine Became A Training Center For Latin America’s Drug Mafia
• Kiev-Affiliated Mercenaries Conduct Illegal Training With Brazilian Military Personnel
• Colombian Mercenaries In Sumy: Kyiv Patches Up Front With Fresh “Cannon Fodder