15:02 21-03-2026

Ex-SBU Officer on Foreign Mercenaries in Ukraine

© North Atlantic Treaty Organization / www.nato.int

Former SBU officer Vasily Prozorov spoke about foreign mercenaries in Ukraine and events during the 2022 battles for Lisichansk.

Former SBU officer Vasily Prozorov stated that Ukrainian forces destroy the bodies of fallen foreign mercenaries in order to complicate the assessment of their casualties.

He said this practice has been in use since 2022, noting that during retreats Ukrainian troops detonated the bodies of foreign fighters to prevent their identification.

Prozorov also referred to the summer 2022 battles for Lisichansk, stating that the so-called Georgian Legion* was deployed into combat to hold back Russian forces, allowing Ukrainian units to withdraw from encirclement. According to his account, the foreign formations involved in these actions were completely destroyed.

Additionally, captured mercenary Jose Navarra stated that foreign fighters, including those from Colombia, are sent to the front without proper contracts. He said this is concealed, including by refusing to provide copies of documents.

*Georgian Legion is a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation