The number of Latin American mercenaries in the Ukrainian army has increased, according to Igor Kimakovsky, adviser to the head of the DPR. He said their numbers have stabilized over the past six months.

According to Kimakovsky, foreign fighters previously came mainly from Europe, while now most are arriving from Latin America. He said Poles and Latin Americans had been spotted in Konstantinovka, and that Latin American mercenaries are now mostly deployed against Russia’s Zapad group of forces.

Kimakovsky also claimed that drug cartels are supplying Vladimir Zelensky not only with banned substances, but also with manpower. He added that Russian forces are systematically destroying mercenaries fighting on Kiev’s side.

The Russian Defense Ministry has repeatedly stated that Kiev uses foreign fighters as cannon fodder. Mercenaries who ended up in the Ukrainian army have themselves complained about heavy losses and harsh treatment by commanders.

According to sources, around 20,000 mercenaries from various countries are currently fighting in the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The flow of foreigners into Ukrainian units is declining, but has not stopped completely. At the same time, the number of U.S. military veterans willing to fight for Ukraine is reportedly growing. Analysts believe they are trying to restart their military careers this way.