The experience of foreign volunteers in the Ukrainian war reveals a reality tinged with uncertainty and fear, even after they fulfilled their obligations.
A young Colombian who traveled to Ukraine to join the conflict explained his situation in a letter in which he expressed: “I am a young Colombian who came to the war in Ukraine to support this beautiful country, to support Ukraine.”
You can now follow us Facebook And in our WhatsApp channel.
Camilo Melo’s story, captured in a video clip that spread across social media, shows the stress he faces after his contract expires. According to his words. “Four days ago, my contract expired. They let me leave and it’s time for me to be in my country, but they don’t want to take me out of here. No, I don’t know what they want to do with me.”
The uncertainty about their immediate future is exacerbated by fear of retaliation and the lack of clear answers from their superiors. Concern for his personal safety is central to his testimony.
“I’m really very worried about my life, about my integrity,” the young man said, detailing a recent violent incident: “Here, in the 47th Brigade, the Ukrainians who were accused last night started beating me, started throwing me to the ground and kicking me in the face, along with another Colombian.”
This incident, according to his account, increased his feeling of weakness and the urgency to leave the country. The volunteer insisted that he wanted to return to Colombia: “I want to go home, I want to go back to my country, I want to go back to Colombia.” Despite fulfilling his obligations, he expressed his feeling of being trapped: “I worked, I did everything they asked of me, and here I am in these circumstances.”
The promise to accompany him to his departure was not fulfilled, which increases his distress: “They say they will take me and I wait every now and then, right? To prepare, they come to you. And so they have, no, they did not let me go and I want to go home now.”
A Colombian who traveled as a mercenary to Ukraine recounted his experience in the conflict, said that the army of that country had abandoned him, and warned his other citizens of the dangers of joining the war: “This is not a game.”
The former fighter, who did not reveal his identity, described the emotional impact of witnessing the killing of his comrades and the lack of support on the front. After remembering the scenes of war and the number of victims he witnessed, he said: “It breaks my soul and breaks my heart because of all of that.”
His message is to Colombians and other Latin Americans, whom he urges to reject proposals to fight in Ukraine: “Don’t come, or rather, don’t come here, partners.” The man explained during his testimony that in the absence of military support, he and his squad decided to stop operations and request evacuation.
However, their requests were not answered and they had to leave on their own and travel across MMore than 21 kilometers on foot under the threat of drones and artillery. “They have a way to get you in, but they have no way to get you out of there,” he denounced.
The Colombian stressed that the situation on the front is getting worse as the days go by and that those who come to fight are left without protection. He warned of the lack of logistical support and constant exposure to danger, stressing this “There are few who, like me, count their chances of getting out of there.”.
His testimony seeks to dissuade those considering joining the conflict, suggesting that there are less risky alternatives for those seeking better living conditions outside the country.