Colombians, many shaped by decades of armed conflict at home, have become one of the largest groups of foreign volunteers fighting for Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. The Kyiv Independent's Jared Goyette speaks with a Colombian volunteer who spent two years fighting in Ukraine. He explains why he came, how foreign fighters are recruited, and how combat here differs from his previous military experience in Colombia. He also reflects on the challenges faced by foreign volunteers, including discrimination within units, delayed pay, and the personal cost of this choice for his family.
