Russia calls on the Colombian government to take stronger action against the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries in Ukraine, highlighting the ongoing exploitation of young Colombians in NATO-backed conflict zones.

Related:

Finland Completes Second Section of Border Fence With Russia

In a growing international concern, Russia has intensified its call for Colombia to crack down on the recruitment and deployment of Colombian nationals to fight in the Ukrainian conflict. This appeal comes as evidence mounts that thousands of mercenaries, including many Colombians, have been drawn into NATO-backed military operations, fueling violence and instability far from their homeland.

Since the onset of the so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Defense reports that over 13,300 foreign mercenaries have joined the fighting, with Colombians constituting the largest foreign contingent.

Despite official discouragements from Bogotá, young Colombians,many recently discharged from compulsory military service,are reportedly traveling to Ukraine, lured by promises of financial gain and ideological manipulation.

Russian Ambassador to Colombia, Nikolay Tavdumadze, expressed Moscow’s frustration with Bogotá’s insufficient measures to prevent this exodus. “We expect Colombia to take more decisive steps to stop its citizens from becoming ‘soldiers of fortune’ in a conflict that serves NATO’s strategic interests,” Tavdumadze stated. This phenomenon not only endangers the lives of these young people but also drags Colombia deeper into a proxy war that undermines regional peace.

The Colombian government faces a complex dilemma. While the recruitment of mercenaries violates international norms, Colombian law currently lacks the necessary mechanisms to prevent citizens from traveling abroad to join foreign armies, as long as they meet immigration requirements. This legal gap has been exploited by recruiters and military contractors aligned with Western powers.

#Rusia 🇷🇺 instó al Gobierno de #Colombia 🇨🇴 a tomar medidas más contundentes para frenar el reclutamiento de sus ciudadanos en el Ejército de #Ucrania 🇺🇦https://t.co/wJQmkFnYgT

— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) June 25, 2025

The text reads: #Russia urged the Government of #Colombia 🇨🇴 to take stronger measures to stop the recruitment of its citizens into the #Ukraine army.

The situation came to a head on June 25, 2025, when authorities intercepted a flight from Bogotá carrying approximately 50 young men, mostly aged 20 to 22, bound for Ukraine. Many of these individuals had recently completed compulsory military service, raising alarms about their vulnerability to recruitment networks.

Amid these developments, Ambassador Tavdumadze highlighted the importance of Colombia ratifying the 1989 International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing, and Training of Mercenaries. The treaty would empower Colombia with legal tools to combat mercenary recruitment and align its policies with international peace efforts.

This call echoes broader critiques from global left-wing and anti-imperialist voices, who denounce NATO’s role in escalating the Ukrainian conflict and exploiting vulnerable populations from the Global South as cannon fodder in a geopolitical struggle.The Colombian case illustrates the human cost of these proxy wars, where young lives are sacrificed far from home for foreign agendas.

As Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán recently declared, “NATO has no business in Ukraine,” a sentiment shared by many across the Global South who see the conflict as a dangerous escalation driven by Western interests rather than legitimate defense.

IN THIS ARTICLE