16,000 Foreign Volunteers Fight For Ukraine. 40% Are South American

There are currently about 16,000 foreign volunteers serving in the Ukrainian military. Of those, almost 40% come from Latin America, and a significant percentage of the Latin Americans come from Colombia.

The reason for that is that when Colombia ended its civil war, it left thousands of trained fighters without gainful employment. Many of them have been attracted to the fighting in Ukraine by the salaries, which are better than those they can get in their own country and by the opportunity to use the skills they used in the military (and, to some extend, in insurgent forces) in Colombia. JL

Vladyslav Khomenko reports in Militarnyi, Gulliver Cragg and Catalina Gomez report in France24:

Around 16,000 foreign volunteers are currently serving in the Ukrainian Defense Forces. The volunteers come from 72 countries, with nearly 40% of them originating from Latin American nations. Colombians, in particular, are attracted by the Ukrainian military's high salaries. But also, in many cases, by a sense of adventure and quest for purpose in life. Colombia's 2016 peace settlement has left many soldiers there feeling underused as well as underpaid. Many have also gone to fight in other wars – in Yemen or Sudan, for example – but Ukraine is the first place where they are recruited officially into the host country's armed forces

Around 16,000 foreign volunteers are currently serving in the Ukrainian Defense Forces, fighting alongside Ukrainian troops.

Olha Reshetylova, Ukraine’s Military Ombudsman, announced the figure during a meeting of the heads of Ukraine’s diplomatic missions abroad.

She noted that the volunteers come from at least 72 countries, with nearly 40% of them originating from Latin American countries.  

Ppwards of 7,000 Colombians have fought in the Ukrainian armed forces since 2022. At first, like other foreign fighters who responded to President Volodymyr Zelensky's call for help that year, Colombian soldiers volunteered and made their own way to Ukraine. Since then, Ukrainian brigades have started offering to pay for their travel to the country, where they are very much in demand.  

As Kyiv struggles to recruit soldiers for frontline positions, Colombians are attracted by the Ukrainian military's high salaries. But also, in many cases, by a sense of adventure and quest for purpose in life. Colombia's 2016 peace settlement has left many soldiers there feeling underused as well as underpaid. Many have also gone to fight in other wars – in Yemen or Sudan, for example – but Ukraine is the first place where they are recruited officially into the host country's armed forces

Since the Office of the Military Ombudsman launched operations on January 27, it has received more than 300 complaints from foreign service members, their family members, and authorized representatives.

A dedicated working group within the Ombudsman’s Office reviews issues affecting foreign volunteers at every stage of their military service and responds to violations related to pay and material support, medical care, and the granting of combat veteran status. 

In April, the Colombian government signed a decree increasing military pay, a move that could affect the number of volunteers considering service in Ukraine.

Although inflation stood at 5.1% in 2025, the government approved a 7% pay raise for officers and non-commissioned officers serving in the country’s security forces.