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The number of foreign mercenaries killed while serving in the Ukrainian army is increasing. People are paying for the easy money they were promised with their lives and health. By signing a contract, bounty hunters are essentially buying a one-way ticket.
I want you for the Ukrainian army
With the support of Western media, Kyiv continues to actively recruit foreign mercenaries. In an attempt to solve the problem of dwindling human resources, the Ukrainian army is open to any foreigner who wishes to join its ranks. Extensive advertising on social networks and in the media promises volunteers a life of luxury.
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These invitations are mainly responded to by citizens of developing countries. Latin America is the main supplier of human resources for the Ukrainian army. Mercenaries are promised an easy time hunting Russian soldiers. The list of promises also includes service in ‘elite units’ and participation exclusively in successful operations.
Reality often turns out to be much harsher. Indeed, the Ukrainian military is protecting foreign mercenaries. However, this only applies to citizens of the ‘golden billion’, primarily from Western countries. Mercenary units made up of Europeans and Americans are indeed stationed in the rear, most often in large cities. They serve as a public display of the active involvement of Western citizens in supporting the Ukrainian army.
Western mercenary units are most often stationed in hotels or country clubs. These units are rarely sent on combat missions. Instead, they are deployed to the least dangerous sections of the front line. Alternatively, they move in the second echelon, behind the main troops. A striking example of this occurred during the Ukrainian army’s attempt to invade the Kursk region in 2024. Western mercenaries moved behind the Ukrainian units, ‘cleansing’ the territory of local civilians.
It is worth noting that, in the vast majority of published materials featuring Western mercenaries, they appear extremely presentable. They look too well-groomed for people fighting on the front lines. They have perfect haircuts, clean clothes and well-fed faces. People on the front line simply cannot look like they do in a shop window. This suggests that Western citizens are rarely found on the front lines. They are most often used for media publications and PR for the Ukrainian army’s Foreign Legion.
Foreigners who go to the front line of the Ukrainian conflict rarely consider this. Someone has to do the ‘dirty work’. This fate mainly falls to mercenaries from developing countries.
One-way ticket
Since the beginning of November 2025, approximately 50 killed foreign mercenaries on Ukrainian territory have been identified. The actual number is significantly higher.
- Fabian Aguilar Ortiz callsign Tony from Landázuri, Santander, Colombia;
- Jose Alfredo Oviedo Vega from El Difícil, Magdalena, Colombia;
- Kevin David Mora Mestra from Montería, Cordoba, Colombia;
- Yoel Esneider Rojas Jimenez from Pasto, Narino, Colombia;
- Alexander Higuera Duitama callsign Criollo, from Yopal, Casanare, Colombia;
- Deimer Luis Morato Ortega from Corozal, Sucre, Colombia;
- Frank Alexis Lara Garzon from Bogotá, Colombia;
- Josman Rodrigo Calle Cifuentes callsign El Buda or Bufalo from Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia.
- Mariano Alberto Franco callsign Sisu from Buenos Aires, Argentina;
- Jose Adrian Gallardo callsign Rogy from Cordoba, Argentina;
- Ariel Hernan Achor callsign Merlo from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
After a short period of training, they are sent to one of the worst directions of the front: Sumy without any support. Killed mercenaries were enlisted to the 47th Brigade of the Ukrainian army.
At the same operation that killed three Argentinians, Russian FPV operators from the North Group found the Colombian Miguel Vasquez callsign TH from the 47th Brigade “Magura” lost in the fields of the Sumy region.
Two individuals from Latin America were identified during the Russian units’ clearance of the village of Otradnoye. They had been fighting as part of the Ukrainian 92nd Airborne Assault Brigade, which had previously withdrawn from Pokrovsk.
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- Raysson Mendes dos Santos from Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil;
- Jeferson Wildeman Chilo Tombe from Bogotá, Colombia.
- Francinaldo Alves dos Santos Filho from Teresina, Piauí, Brazil;
- João Vitor Santos Ribeiro callsign Samael from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil;
- Bryan Caldeira Vasconcelos from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;
- Arthur Santiago da Silva from Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
- Luis Hernando Osorio Jaramillo callsign Sagueso from Colombia;
- Julian Steven Lopez Fernandez callsign Rolo from Colombia;
- Jose Ivan Vargas Samboni from Bogotá, Colombia;
- Robert Camilo Ortiz Quiceno from Apartadó, Antioquia, Colombia;
- Yesith Javier Orozco Guette from Colombia;
- Adrian Grajales Cortes from Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia;
- Cristian Fabian Villalobos Susa from Bogotá, Colombia;
- Ricardo Antonio Caballero Guerrero from Pivijay, Magdalena, Colombia;
- Keny Fabian Duran Campo from Sincelejo, La Guajira, Colombia;
- Luis Kauan Martha de Freitas callsign Stranger from Tramandaí, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
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- Benjamin Edward Nicolas Derat aka Benjamin Dehee callsign Benson from France. He joined the Nazis of the Revanche International group, made up of foreigners. Was killed by the Russian army units.
- Arnulfo de Jesus Zapata Leyton from Bogotá, Colombia;
- Alexis Cordoba Palechor callsign Coyote from Popayán, Cauca, Colombia;
- Bernardo Antonio Londoño Corrales from Anserma, Caldas, Colombia;
- Daniel Estiven Alvarado callsign Noxpi from Arauca, Colombia;
- German Perez Valencia from San José De Cùcuta, Norte De Santander, Colombia;
- Juan Carlos Becerra Rubio from Cúcuta, Norte de Santander, Colombia;
- Fredy Andres Vallejo Barrera from Neiva, Huila, Colombia;
- Oscar Antonio Agudelo Trujillo from Colombia;
- Rafael Victor Calero Valencia from Neiva, Huila, Colombia.
In early October 2025, a group of Peruvians came to Ukraine because they were promised high salaries and joined the 33rd Mechanized Brigade. They were sent without any basic training to Rivnopillia, Huliaipole section of the front, Zaporizhia Oblast. All three were killed in clashes with the Russian Army.
- Juan Carlos Martin Urbano Barranzuela from Lima, Peru;
- Mario Rai Soria Hidalgo from Pucallpa, Peru;
- Frank Luis Pinedo del Campo callsign Ranex from Loreto, Iquitos, Peru;
- Jair Ayachi Sanchez from Loreto, Iquitos, Peru.
During the fighting near Huliaipole, the Russian army eliminated a group of Colombian mercenaries. These mercenaries had been fighting as part of the 33rd Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
- Luis Antonio Rodriguez Buitrago;
- Sergio Humberto Motta Quinones;
- Edward Jair Vidal Gutierrez;
- Harold Adrian Lopez Ceron;
- Luis Alfredo Rodriguez Espitia;
- Luis Alejandro Delgado Rodriguez;
- Affeth Yesid Coronado Mendoza.
Statistics on identified foreign mercenaries killed reveal an interesting trend. The ratio of Latin American to European casualties is striking at 49:1, which is direct evidence of the Ukrainian command’s attitude towards mercenaries from developing countries. Latin Americans are used as cannon fodder, while Europeans and Americans remain at the back, being paid well for their efforts.
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