In a significant development, Russia has announced the arrest of two Colombian citizens for their alleged involvement in fighting on Ukraine’s side. This marks the first publicly disclosed case of its kind since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to reports from Politico, citing Colombian and Spanish-language media sources, Alexander Ante and José Aron Medina were arrested after being extradited to Russia by Venezuelan authorities. The two men were detained in mid-July while transiting through Caracas on their way back to Colombia. It is believed that Ante and Medina joined a foreign legion in Ukraine during the summer of 2023.
The extradition and arrest are widely seen as a tactic to deter other foreigners from joining Ukraine’s armed forces. Additionally, it underlines the close relationship between Russia and Venezuela, led by President Nicolás Maduro.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) claims to have found documents and clothing associated with the Carpathian Sich, a Ukrainian battalion that includes foreign fighters, in the possession of the two Colombians. These items are alleged to serve as evidence of “unlawful activity.” A Moscow court has ordered Ante and Medina to be held in pre-trial detention at the high-security Lefortovo prison while they are investigated for “paid participation in an armed conflict,” an offense that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in Russia.
The FSB released a video showing the two men being escorted through a corridor with their heads bowed. They are seen identifying themselves on camera, an act that appears to be under duress.
Meanwhile, Russia is actively recruiting mercenaries from countries like Cuba and India, offering enticing incentives such as high salaries and expedited Russian citizenship. The country also maintains strong ties with the Wagner Group, a notorious mercenary organization with a presence in both Ukraine and Africa.
