Colombia Requests Russia and Ukraine Stop Recruiting Colombian Citizens

The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has formally requested that Russia and Ukraine stop recruiting Colombian citizens for their respective armed forces. In an official statement, the ministry declared that Colombia does not support, incentivize, or authorize the participation of its citizens in international armed conflicts. As of September 2026, the ministry recorded 863 requests for consular assistance related to Colombians in Ukraine and 890 related to those in Russia. These requests include cases of citizens who have died, are missing in combat, are detained, or are in the process of repatriation.

The Colombian government has implemented several preventive measures to address the issue. These include a protocol at passport offices to identify individuals traveling for military service, awareness campaigns regarding the risks of foreign military contracts, and training for the Ministry of the Interior's Anti-Trafficking Operational Center. Additionally, the Foreign Ministry has reported deceptive job offers to the Attorney General's Office on 21 occasions to aid investigations into the recruitment of citizens.

Reports on the motivations for this recruitment vary by perspective. A center-leaning source highlights economic drivers, citing an Atlantic Council report that estimates between 300 and 550 Colombian deaths in the conflict. This source notes that retired military personnel are often driven by a lack of domestic job opportunities and attracted by monthly salaries between 3,000 and 5,000 dollars. It also mentions a United Nations report suggesting over 10,000 Colombians have been recruited as mercenaries globally, which contributed to a recent law prohibiting mercenarism and its financing. A center-left leaning source focuses more on the humanitarian and diplomatic aspect, noting that the government's actions follow protests and sit-ins by families of Colombians trapped in the war.