The Washington Post reports that Latin American drug cartels have been making growing use of drones, while Mexican criminal groups are actively recruiting people who gained combat experience in Ukraine.

Taras Palyanytsya, an official with the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s foreign recruitment department, told the newspaper that recruits undergo background checks before joining the Ukrainian Armed Forces in an effort to screen out candidates with malicious intentions.

However, the newspaper noted that such vetting cannot guarantee that a former foreign fighter will not later return home and begin working with a drug cartel in Latin America.

Palyanytsya said applicants do not openly admit that they intend to learn combat skills or drone operations in Ukraine and then use that experience against governments in countries such as Colombia or Brazil after returning home.

The Washington Post also noted that Ukrainian officials do not view the acquisition of new combat skills as the only reason foreigners join the Ukrainian Armed Forces. They argue that motivations vary.

According to the report, one factor attracting Latin Americans is the higher pay available in Ukrainian service compared with what they could earn at home.

Service also offers them direct combat experience in assault units and the opportunity to complete a two-month training course in drone operations.