Mexican and Colombian drug cartels infiltrate Ukrainian military
Colombian soldiers fly drones at a military base in Tolemaida – RAUL ARBOLEDA
Credit: X / @UHN_Plus
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In a decaying factory in western Ukraine, the Kill House Academy has emerged as a cutting-edge training ground for drone warfare, equipping pilots with obstacle courses of hoops and window frames to master unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The facility has produced some of Ukraine’s top drone operators.
One of its more recent recruits, known by the callsign Aguila 7 (Eagle 7), was a former Mexican special forces soldier serving with Ukraine’s International Legion. While Eagle 7 excelled in the course, Ukrainian and Mexican intelligence reports indicate he was in Ukraine not to fight Russia, but to acquire drone skills for Mexico’s Los Zetas cartel.
Credit: X / @mexicanbelik
Mexican intelligence warned Ukrainian authorities in July that cartel members were joining foreign fighter units to learn how to operate FPV (first-person view) kamikaze drones, which provide pilots a live bird’s-eye view as they deliver explosive payloads. FPVs have already transformed combat on Ukraine’s frontlines, and Mexican cartels appear eager to adopt the technology. Recent footage shows Sinaloa cartel hitmen using “fiber-optic” FPV drones—cable-controlled devices developed in Ukraine to evade jamming.
Abrazos, no balazos.
pic.twitter.com/UgvQwzAcj3— Héctor de Mauleón (@hdemauleon) July 18, 2020
Fighters on both sides of the front line in Ukraine having been pioneering new drones warfare techniques – Paula Bronstein/Getty Images
The scale of cartel recruitment in Ukraine remains uncertain. Summer investigations revealed at least three former members of Colombia’s disbanded FARC guerrilla movement, also involved in drug trafficking. Ukraine’s International Legion, increasingly reliant on Latin American recruits, offers financial incentives—up to $3,000 a month—that can surpass earnings in their home countries. Many of these recruits have US military training and combat experience, particularly against cartels and guerrillas.
Experts warn that cartels exploit Ukraine’s limited vetting of foreign fighters. “Both Mexican cartels and Colombian criminal groups are trying to infiltrate the Ukrainian military to learn techniques they can take back to Latin America,” said Alexander Marciniak, a Latin American intelligence analyst. Armed drones allow cartels to conduct surveillance, attacks, and contraband smuggling. Drone attacks in Mexico have surged from a handful in 2020 to over 40 per month in 2023, particularly in the western state of Michoacán, where cartel units have used explosives and improvised armored vehicles.
The presence of criminals in Ukraine’s volunteer forces complicates recruitment and fuels Russian propaganda portraying Ukraine as a haven for mercenaries and foreign criminals. Colombian and Mexican legionnaires insist many volunteers serve for ideological reasons, opposing Russian aggression.
Despite vetting challenges, experts note that humanitarian and military groups in Ukraine can often identify cartel members, who frequently face travel restrictions to enter Europe. Nonetheless, the transfer of drone knowledge from Ukraine to Latin America raises concern about “blowback” from the conflict zone, as volunteers gain access to weapons and DIY drone construction techniques.
The United States, under President Trump, has intensified pressure on Colombia and Mexico to curb cartel activity. Trump has labeled certain Mexican cartels as “narco-terrorist” groups and has authorized drone strikes against suspected drug shipments. He has also hinted at potential troop deployments to assist Mexico.
Meanwhile, Colombia is considering legislation to prevent former soldiers from working as mercenaries abroad, though critics warn such measures could push trained personnel into cartel ranks.
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