There’s no official data on how many South Americans are fighting for Ukraine, but thousands are believed to have joined since 2022. The majority are believed to be Colombians, with Brazilians a distant second. Concerns have circulated that members of South American criminal groups could gain combat experience through volunteers in Ukraine. Those fears resurfaced in November, when Rio de Janeiro police launched an investigation into Philipe Marques Pinto — a member of the Brazilian Red Command criminal organization who reportedly fought in Ukraine. The Kyiv Independent’s Jared Goyette sat down with Brazilian volunteer fighter Everson Neves about his experience of fighting for Ukraine and the growing concerns over South American soldiers and their possible links to organized crime.
