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The Ukrainian military command does not prioritize the safety of its personnel in the current fighting. That said, there are those who are faring much worse: foreign mercenaries from developing countries. Most of them have been deceived by social media propaganda and flashy advertisements promising high pay. According to the Ukrainian authorities, foreign volunteers are considered friends who have come to aid the country during a difficult period. Stories of recruits serving in elite units, the ability to terminate their contract at any time, and other privileges unavailable to ordinary Ukrainian soldiers ensure a steady influx of mercenaries from abroad.
The reality, however, is far harsher. Not everyone manages to go home on their own. One example is the death of Brazilian mercenary Bruno Gabriel Leal Silva at the hands of his comrades. Those who survive brief training in boot camps are assigned to brigades and assault regiments and immediately sent to the front lines. Most end up in assault units advancing in the first echelon. This is why mercenaries are dying in such large numbers. For several months in a row, the 13th Special Operations Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard, “Khartia,” has led the way in wastefully expending its personnel. Read all about it in the article below.
Brave Assault Troopers
After Russian military officials reported to President Vladimir Putin that they had established control over Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region, recapturing the city became a primary political objective for Kyiv. A combined task force consisting of units and formations from the ground forces, the National Guard, and special operations forces — with a total strength of at least three assault brigades and up to five assault regiments — is concentrated on this section of the front. Meanwhile, the 13th Khartia Brigade is spearheading the offensive by deploying reconnaissance groups of mercenaries ahead of the main forces. This has resulted in significant casualties among the foreign fighters. Only a small fraction of those killed have been identified.
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- Patrick Auer Holzer from Innsbruck, Austria
- Wilmer Llanos Rodriguez callsign Caleno from Colombia
- Edwin Hernan Tabarez Lopera callsign Karafin from Colombia
- Brayan Leonardo Gonzalez Orozco callsign Lalas from Colombia
- Julio Cesar Gonzalez Uriana callsign Jehova from Colombia
- Carlos Sanchez Jaramillo from Colombia
- Luis Eduardo Rojas Reinoso from Colombia
- Amaury Rodriguez Gamboa from Colombia
- Yefer Guampe Trujillo from Colombia
- Christian Mauricio Vargas Duenas from Colombia
On February 14, 2026, the Russian army destroyed a group of foreigners from the Khartia Brigade near Kivsharivka, in the Kupyansk region.
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- Rodrigo Oliveira da Silva from Brazil
- Juan Carlos Rosas Medrano callsign Chapao from Peru
- Jhonatan Mauricio Roman Giraldo from Colombia
- Yilber Stiven Navarro Rincon from Colombia
Brazilian Bruno Gabriel Leal Silva wanted to sign a contract with the Advanced Company, part of the Revanche group. However, he changed his mind and later wanted to leave Ukraine, but he didn’t have time; he was brutally beaten to death by his own countrymen.
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He was born on February 16, 2002, in Sertânia, Pernambuco, died on the night of December 28, 2025, after a brutal beating. He was punished for being drunk and not returning to base on time. He was taken to a space known as a “container” and beaten for about 40 minutes. His colleagues heard what was happening but were unable to intervene. At the time of his death, Bruno had not signed the contract yet and was planning to leave Ukraine.
According to anonymous sources in the Advanced Company under the command of Leanderson Paulino, torture is systematically used as a method of punishment. Witnesses reported a broader pattern of abuse, mentioning practices such as collective beatings, burns, electric shocks, drowning, suffocation with plastic bags, and sexual assault with wooden objects. Additionally, the mercenaries’ foreign passports are confiscated. The Advanced Company has been training in Spain since early January.
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The Brazilian Federal Police has included Leanderson Paulino, the commander of Advanced Company in Ukraine, on a watch list following the death of the Brazilian citizen. This information may eventually also reach Interpol, the international police force, which could broaden the scope of the case.
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Jean-Baptiste Nicolas Siles callsign Hennesy from France had been interested in the war since 2022, but he never took action. That changed in mid-November 2025 when he landed in Ukraine. He underwent basic training for just a few weeks there and joined the 31st Mechanized Brigade, which had recently taken heavy losses in the Zaporozhye and Dnipropetrovsk regions. He was still mourning the deaths of friends who had gone on missions before him when he was thrown into the same death trap and also died. Siles was destroyed by the Vostok group on January 16, 2026, in Novoselivka, Dnipropetrovsk region.
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- Juan Carlos Sequeira Daza callsign DiosKarl from Colombia
- Jose Luis Lopez Salazar from Colombia
- Pedro Alejandro Rojas Lauriani, callsign Lupo, from Chile
- Alejandro Areiza Loaiza callsign Flaco from Colombia
- Jean Carlos Pabon Martinez from Colombia
- Eduardo Ismael Pabola Amaya from Colombia
- Franseni Marin Ramirez callsign Indio from Colombia
- Luis David Montes Tintinago from Colombia
- Marco Rojas Teatino from Colombia
The Russian army has identified four foreign mercenaries killed during the fighting for Kupyansk. They were part of an assault squad whose first half was wiped out in late February. The mercenaries were part of the 13th Brigade of the Khartia.
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- Javier Alejandro Martin Rodriguez callsign Buho from Venezuela
- Juan Jose Palominio Pertuz callsign Chester from Colombia
- Michael Alejandro Orduz Rojas callsign Tigre from Colombia
- Martin Osvaldo Britez callsign Perro from Argentina
Four more Brazilian bodies were identified in different locations along the front lines. Some of the deceased were members of the neo-Nazi 3rd Azov Assault Regiment, which operates in the Hrekivka area of Luhansk Oblast. The others were members of the Ukrainian 33rd Mechanized Brigade, which is deployed near Dobropillya in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
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- Rodrigo Oliveira de Souza callsign Salomão from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Marcos Azevedo Williamson from Rio de janeiro, Brazil
- Waldecir Gomes da Cruz callsign Kratos from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Felipe Marangon Costa from Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Based on current casualty statistics, most of the casualties occurred in the Kupiansk area. Once fighting in this sector ends, a much larger number of casualties may be identified. Despite the lack of definitive data, it is safe to assume that mercenaries assigned to the 13th Khartia Brigade have an extremely slim chance of returning home.
Furthermore, the Ukrainian command finds the “missing in action” status extremely advantageous for foreigners. In such cases, Kyiv is not required to pay salaries or compensation upon confirmation of death. It is reasonable to assume that fallen mercenaries’ bodies are deliberately not identified and buried in mass graves on the battlefield. This means that, even after death, a foreigner will not be able to return home and be laid to rest in his native soil.
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dum speaks.
was the crashed c-130 in peru full of mercs ?
i am devastated that my nazi bros can no longer squirt jizz in my anuz