Russian-controlled court in occupied Ukraine hands first prison term to Colombian national for serving in Ukrainian army

Miguel Ángel Cárdenas Montilla previously served in Colombia’s anti-narcotics police unit and later worked in the private security sector. In the spring of 2024, he signed a contract with the Ukrainian army. The human rights NGO Memorial notes that he was initially expected to serve in the International Legion; however, Montilla ended up in the 59th Separate Assault Brigade along with a group of nine other Colombian nationals.

On June 5, 2024, Montilla surrendered during combat — his unit was defending a position in a house in Krasnohorivka, near Donetsk. He was the sole survivor among the ten Colombians.

At least three other Colombian nationals — Alexander Ante, José Aron Medina Aranda, and Pablo Puentes Boórquez — are currently in Russian captivity awaiting sentencing.

Alexander Ante and José Aron Medina Aranda previously served in the Colombian army before transitioning to work as private security guards. In November 2023, both men signed contracts with the AFU and were assigned to the Carpathian Sich 49th Infantry Battalion. In July 2024, they decided to return to Colombia. However, on July 18, 2024, they were detained at an airport in Venezuela by the country’s security services and later extradited to Russia.

Pablo Puentes Boorjes was captured in Russia's Kursk Region. He faces charges not only of mercenarism, but also for committing a “terrorist act” — similar to other AFU servicemen captured in the Kursk border area.

According to the Investigative Committee of Russia, as of January 2025, criminal cases have been opened against 845 foreign nationals from 55 countries for serving in the Ukrainian military. Of these, 589 have been declared internationally wanted by Russia.

Memorial recognizes the foreign servicemen of the AFU prosecuted under the “mercenarism” statute as political prisoners. All of them served in official Ukrainian army units and therefore do not meet the legal definition of mercenaries — a definition established under Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949, which has been ratified by both Ukraine and Russia.