Colombian Ukrainian mercenaries linked to US-controlled drug cartels – expert – World

MOSCOW, 25 November. /TASS/. Military expert Alexander Stepanov, program director at the Academy of Political Sciences and senior researcher at the Latin American Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told TASS that mercenaries from Latin American countries within the Ukrainian armed forces are linked to US-controlled drug cartels.

Earlier, Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo stated that Bogota had agreed with Moscow to establish a working group to analyze the situation regarding Colombian mercenaries involved in the Ukraine conflict. Murillo emphasized that Colombian authorities are trying to prevent their citizens from participating in armed conflicts around the world.

“Individuals from Latin American drug cartels operating under US control are increasingly on the front lines. Recently, soldiers of the 144th Guards Motorized Rifle Division killed Colombian mercenaries while attacking a fortress in the direction of Krasny Liman,” Stepanov said. he said.

Commenting on the motivation of Colombian fighters to participate in conflicts in Ukraine, the expert explained that this is connected with the situation in the South American drug trafficking market. “After the change of policy in Colombia, with President Gustavo Petro coming to power, there is a clear understanding that pro-American groups were largely pushed aside, which led to a decrease in their income. This created an ideal recruitment base for the international legion. “The Ukrainian army has detailed information about each militant and their characteristics,” he said.

According to Stepanov, militants in US-controlled drug cartels face a difficult choice. “They are often presented with two options: extradition to the United States and imprisonment (because almost all of them have blood on their hands and face specific charges) or a training camp and a one-way trip to Ukraine. As we can see, the second option has become popular,” – concluded Stepanov.