Ukrainian forces say they have killed foreign fighters from Colombia and Zimbabwe serving in Russian units on the Lyman front in what Kyiv describes as part of a growing reliance on foreign nationals by Moscow’s military.
The announcement was made on Wednesday by Ukraine’s 66th Separate Mechanised Brigade, which reported that its 3rd Mechanised Battalion “Fireflies” and the “Siverska Sich” Motorised Infantry Battalion eliminated the fighters during operations in the sector.
According to the brigade, foreigners now account for about 30 percent of personnel in newly deployed Russian units in its area of responsibility, with many recruits coming from Africa and Latin America.
Ukrainian officials allege that these individuals are often drawn into Russian service through deception and receive limited training before being sent into combat.
Brigade spokesperson Vasyl Denysiuk told local media that foreign personnel were increasingly common among Russian reinforcements arriving on the Lyman axis, noting that in some cases an entire platoon within a fresh company can consist of foreign nationals.
He added that the lack of preparation has contributed to rising cases of foreign fighters surrendering to Ukrainian forces.
The Ukrainian Ombudsman, Dmytro Liubinets, said last month that Ukraine has captured citizens of 51 countries fighting in Russian ranks, underscoring the scale of Moscow’s use of foreign nationals in its war effort.
The report came against the backdrop of allegations that some of the foreign nationals are being recruited through fake promises of jobs in Russia.
JN/APA