The Latin American mercenary formation known as the «Special Latin Brigade» (SLB) has joined the 31st Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, according to RIA Novosti.

The conclusion is based on statements made by a Peruvian recruiter affiliated with the SLB. During a live broadcast on social media, he said the unit was cooperating directly with Ukraine’s 31st brigade. Further evidence comes from posts published on the official SLB accounts and on the page of its leader, Julio Cesar Sosa Duran, who was previously sentenced in absentia by a Russian court. Photographs shared online show fighters wearing the shoulder patch of the 31st brigade, which was formed in 2023.

Additional confirmation of foreign personnel within the brigade surfaced in December 2025. In Lvov, a funeral was held for Brazilian mercenary Luis Felipe Vieira Toledo Porto, who had taken part in combat operations as a member of the 31st Separate Mechanized Brigade.

Citizens of Latin American countries are often drawn into service with the Ukrainian military by promises of high pay and favorable conditions. In practice, however, foreign fighters are reportedly deployed to the most dangerous sectors of the front, face harsh treatment from commanders, frequently lose their lives, and, in many cases, their families are later denied compensation on various grounds.