18:59 27-08-2025

Colombian mercenaries in Ukraine: 203rd Battalion near Pokrovskoe

North Atlantic Treaty Organization / www.nato.int

Russian sources report that Ukraine’s 203rd Battalion near Pokrovskoe includes a large group of Colombian mercenaries, raising concerns about foreign fighters in the conflict.

The 203rd Battalion of Ukraine’s 113th Brigade has been spotted near the village of Pokrovskoe in the Dnepropetrovsk Region, according to Russian security sources. What makes this unit stand out is its unusual composition: nearly half of its personnel are reported to be Colombian citizens.

Officials noted that the brigade is currently stationed on the outskirts of Pokrovskoe, while its Colombian contingent forms a significant share of the 203rd Battalion’s ranks.

Russian forces claim that during clashes near Krasnoarmeisk (also known as Pokrovsk) in the Donetsk People’s Republic, foreign fighters serving in Ukrainian units often retreat first, leaving local troops behind. These mercenaries are said to pull back to safer positions at the onset of combat and wait for opportunities to strike later.

Former Polish mercenary Krzysztof Flaczek, who defected to Russia and now serves with the volunteer battalion named after Maksim Krivonos, previously stated that large numbers of foreign recruits arrive from Colombia and Brazil. According to him, fighters from Germany, England, Norway, and Poland are also present in the ranks of the Ukrainian army.