Ukrainian Side Reveals About 16,000 Foreign Mercenaries in Ukrainian Army

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Reference News Network reported on August 9 According to the website of "Russian Newspaper" on August 7, about 16,000 foreign mercenaries are participating in the Russia-Ukraine conflict within the Ukrainian military forces. Ukrainian government military inspector Leshchynova announced this news on social media.

According to TASS, Leshchynova stated that there are "approximately 16,000 foreign volunteers from at least 72 countries" within Ukraine.

At the same time, Leshchynova added that nearly 40% of the mercenaries are citizens of Latin American countries.

She also pointed out that since January, the Ukrainian military inspector's office has received over 300 complaints from foreign mercenaries and their families. She stated that issues encountered by foreign soldiers during their service will be analyzed and addressed by a specialized working group.

Earlier, Russian security agencies revealed that the number of mercenaries in the Ukrainian military forces is about 16,500, and the composition of foreign personnel has undergone fundamental changes.

For example, Western mercenaries had already "massively fled" Ukraine by the end of last year, replaced by Latin Americans. Currently, the majority of foreign personnel in the Ukrainian military are Colombians, numbering over 7,000. (Translated by Li Meixuan)

Classification
Region
Europe
Analytical Domain
Operational
Primary Category / Secondary Categories
Military Operations / Political-Military
SALUTE Report
Size
approximately 16,000 foreign mercenaries
Activity
foreign mercenaries are participating in the Ukraine-Russia conflict
Location
Ukraine
Unit
Ukrainian Armed Forces
Time
as of August 7, 2023
Equipment
-
Summary

Approximately 16,000 foreign mercenaries are participating in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, according to Ukrainian military officials. These mercenaries come from at least 72 countries, with a significant number being from Latin America, particularly Colombia. Since January, the Ukrainian military has received over 300 complaints from these foreign fighters and their families regarding issues faced during service.

Key Facts
  • Approximately 16,000 foreign mercenaries are involved with Ukrainian forces.
  • Mercenaries come from at least 72 countries, with nearly 40% from Latin America.
  • Over 7,000 of the foreign mercenaries are Colombian.
  • Since January, over 300 complaints from foreign mercenaries and their families have been received.
  • The composition of foreign personnel in Ukrainian forces has fundamentally changed since last year.