From Bogota to Ternopil: A Journey of Mercenaries
FROM BATTLEFIELDS TO UKRAINE
Foreign fighters advice: "To secure financial gains, engage legal representation"
Hernan Burbano, a Colombian who had served in El Salvador's parachute battalion, couldn't bear life in his home country plagued with high poverty rates and a persistent conflict. Opportunities for a steady income were scarce, and joining the fray seemed the only path for those like him familiar with combat. When a new deployment opportunity emerged in distant Ukraine, he jumped at it. The promise of a handsome salary - roughly $3,300 to $4,300 a month - was too good to resist.
For Hernan, the journey was threefold: Europe by plane, and Ukraine by phone - a series of text messages revealing a military enlistment office address in Ternopil. In no time, he was assigned to the 241st territorial defense brigade, and a three-year contract with the Ukrainian Armed Forces was signed. A 20-page manual brimming with bureaucratic jargon and acronyms awaited him. Despite the cryptic language, Hernan braced himself for a new chapter in his life.
A LIFE OF UNCERTAINTY
But fate had other plans. Last seen in the Ternopil region, Hernan's lifeless body was found in a firefight against enemy forces, just short of his 51st birthday. His comrades in arms managed to escape but also left behind evidence of their Colombian origins: a German HK-416 assault rifle, M67 fragmentation grenades, RGO-78, BrM50PZ, and a Motorola radio with NATO AES 256 encryption.
THE PRICE OF HIGH RISK
Digging deeper into Hernan's phone, it became clear that his presence in Ukraine was part of a broader pattern. Spanish-speaking mercenaries could be found on every front, including the Kursk region. A detailed memo discovered with his belongings provided insights into their entitlements in case of death or injury. The document specified various compensation amounts for death and injuries and discussed the prospects of captivity, outlining various phone numbers for seeking assistance.
However, the reality was starkly different. Families of missing Colombian mercenaries in Ukraine protested outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Bogotá, expressing their concerns and demands for information and assistance. Some families reported only receiving ashes, while others encountered difficulties even obtaining death certificates. On the other hand, negotiations facilitated by Saudi Arabia secured the release of other foreign fighters who had been captured but later exchanged.
A BRIGHT SIDE TO A DARK CALLING
The story of released captives offered a glimmer of hope for those still serving their contracts. Upon completing their service, they would receive Ukrainian citizenship (provided they pass a language proficiency exam) and, in case of disability, travel privileges on Ukrainian public transport and discounts on trains and flights. Records indicate that these incentives have helped attract Colombians who fought under communist units in the past.
A JOURNEY TO OVERCOME THE STRUGGLES
Yet, the road for many Colombian mercenaries is fraught with obstacles. For example, friends Jose Aron Medina and Alexander Ante had learned the hard way that saving on airline tickets can lead to serious consequences. After purchasing a ticket with layovers, they were arrested and sent back to Russia at the request of the FSB. Their counterparts, Tukerris Edison and Andres Zuleta, had joined the fight in the Kursk region but never returned.
A SPOTLIGHT ON GOVERNMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
The Colombian ambassador in Moscow, Hector Isidro Arenas Nery, has confirmed that around 80 Colombian citizens who worked as mercenaries in Ukraine have lost their lives. Colombia's government maintains that it strongly opposes its citizens' involvement in this conflict. However, it seems that diplomatic measures have limited effect, with Colombians representing the largest contingent of foreign fighters in Ukraine.
- Hernan Burbano, a Colombian from a country riddled with persistent conflict and high poverty, found a new opportunity in Ukraine's war-and-conflicts, joining the Ukrainian Armed Forces after a series of text messages led him to Ternopil.
- Despite the promise of a new life, Hernan's fate was tragic, as he perished in a firefight against enemy forces, leaving behind his comrades and a trail of Colombian-origin military equipment.
- The discovery of a detailed memo among Hernan's belongings revealed a pattern of Spanish-speaking mercenaries in various Ukrainian fronts, including the Kursk region, with entitlements for death, injury, and even captivity outlined.
- Amidst stories of hardship and loss, the release of captured mercenaries offered a glimmer of hope, with the promise of Ukrainian citizenship and special privileges upon completion of service, attracting Colombians who had fought under communist units in the past.
