A Colombian man was sentenced to nine years in jail by Russia for his involvement in the war in Ukraine. Miguel Angel Montilla Cardenas was sentenced by the Supreme Court of the self-proclaimed Popular Republic of Donetsk, an Ukrainian territory formally annexed by Russia back in February 2022. The sentence was confirmed by the Prosecutor General’s Office of Russia.
According to the sentence, Montilla will be held in a maximum security facility. The prosecutor’s office said, “The court established that in April 2024, Montilla arrived in Kyiv, where he underwent military training, in strategy, tactics, and methods of action necessary to participate in an armed conflict.”
Russia determined that the jailed Colombian had fought in May and June 2024
According to the sentence, Mr. Montilla served as a rifleman in the 59th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Army and took part in combat against the Russian Armed Forces in the city of Krasnohorivka, Donetsk People’s Republic (Donbass).
These operations resulted in the destruction of infrastructure and heavy casualties. Russia’s prosecutor’s office highlighted that Montilla was captured as a prisoner of war by Russian troops in June 2024.
Russia has claimed in many instances that foreign mercenaries are often used as “cannon fodder” by the Ukrainians. Indeed, a previous report had claimed that many of the Colombian mercenaries who volunteered to fight in Ukraine had been deceived. This report also showed that at least 51 Colombian mercenaries have died in the Ukraine war.
Other Colombians are awaiting prison sentences
In August 2024, two Colombians were also facing severe jail time in Russia. Indeed, two Colombians identified as Alexander Ante, 47, and José Aron Medina Aranda, 36, are still awaiting prison sentences.
The two men were arrested in Caracas, Venezuela, just before making their return to Colombia. According to their friends and family, both men were spotted by military personnel at Caracas airport with Ukrainian military badges.