A thousand Colombians have already disappeared in the Russian-Ukrainian war

Colombia reports 256 citizens dead and 973 missing in the Russia-Ukraine war, with 162 deaths on the Ukrainian front and 94 on the Russian side. Colombian veterans are sought after as mercenaries due to their combat experience. Most missing persons, 666, are recorded in Ukraine, where Kyiv claims foreign enlistment is legal, while Moscow denies links to mercenary recruitment. Families complain about mistreatment of their relatives at the front. UN estimates suggest at least 10,000 Colombian mercenaries fight abroad, drawn by false promises of high pay and safety, with around 7,000 involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Colombians have also participated in various global conflicts, including the Sudanese civil war and clashes involving Mexican drug cartels.