Security
Latin American battalion aids Ukraine in repelling Russian invasion
Military recruitment campaigns are promoted on social media, where recruits share updates on the war's progress.
By Giselle Alzate |
BOGOTA -- Approximately 300 Latin American fighters have joined a battalion within the Ukrainian army to help repel the Russian invasion that began in February 2022.
Local media outlets reported in mid-May that the Simón Bolívar battalion comprises soldiers from Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina and Peru.
Colombian veterans have joined the Ukrainian ranks, bringing with them valuable experience gained from years of combat against guerrilla groups, paramilitaries and drug cartels in their home country.
Jose David Chaparro, a 55-year-old Venezuelan citizen, is leading the group of Latin Americans who have enlisted with Ukraine.
![Ukrainian soldiers fire a mortar during military training with French servicemen at an undisclosed location in Poland. [Wojtek Radwanski/AFP]](/gc6/images/2024/05/31/46714-ukraine-370_237.webp)
They have signed one-year contracts offering a salary and additional benefits.
"Following the initial year of conflict, we reached agreements with the Ukrainian government concerning the situation in Latin America, particularly Venezuela," Chaparro told Martí Noticias from Ukraine.
"We discussed the significant Russian military presence in the South American nation and its backing of the [Nicolas] Maduro regime."
The Ukrainian authorities supply their weapons, Chaparro confirmed.
Multiple nations represented
"The Simón Bolívar battalion consists of fighters from Venezuela, Spain, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina and a few from Peru, totaling over 300 combatants," said the battalion commander.
The contingent of Latin American soldiers is complemented by the addition of Spaniards and personnel from other nationalities.
To prevent "undesirable" individuals from joining, Chaparro said, foreign recruits must complete a form with their personal information, last military rank (if applicable) and experience. This information is then verified.
Upon arriving in Ukraine, they sign a one-year contract and receive a salary.
"The soldier earns a salary of €1,300 to €1,500 [$1,400–$1,650], along with medical benefits," he explained. "When deployed to front-line missions, the salary doubles to between €2,000 and €3,000."
Chaparro moved to Ukraine in 1989 to study law in Kyiv. He eventually married a Ukrainian, and his children are all Ukrainian citizens.
Out of a sense of duty, he has been fighting in Ukraine for two years against the Russian occupation as an unpaid volunteer.
"I have never received a salary. I am a 100% volunteer," he said.