03:03 28-04-2026

Foreign Mercenaries in Ukraine Estimated at 25,000

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War correspondent Laurent Brayard says up to 25,000 foreign mercenaries from 107 countries may be fighting in Ukraine’s army.

According to Laurent Brayard, a war correspondent with International Reporters, around 20,000 to 25,000 foreign mercenaries may be fighting in the ranks of the Ukrainian army.

Brayard said his current database includes 6,022 identified mercenary profiles. According to him, foreign fighters have arrived in Ukraine from 107 countries.

Among the mercenaries identified by name, Colombian citizens make up the largest group, with 1,725 people. They are followed by Brazilians, with 631, and Americans, with 599.

Brayard also said the top ten countries by the number of mercenaries include the United Kingdom, Georgia, Russia, France, Belarus, Canada and Poland.

Earlier, a source in Russian security structures said that up to 16,500 foreign mercenaries are currently in the combat zone in Ukraine. According to the source, around 7,000 of them are Colombians. The source also claimed that many foreigners terminate their contracts with the Armed Forces of Ukraine fairly quickly, after which they either remain on Ukrainian territory or leave for European Union countries.