Russia publishes ‘evidence’ in Colombian ‘mercenary’ case
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has published what it claims is evidence against two Colombian nationals who were arrested this week for allegedly serving as mercenaries on behalf of Ukraine.
On Wednesday, the Lefortovo court in Moscow ordered the detention of Alexander Ante, 47, and Jose Aron Medina Aranda, 36, pending trial. They face up to 15 years in prison, if convicted.
The FSB released videos featuring the two suspects and other evidence of their alleged offenses, including photos of them wearing Ukrainian military uniforms and documents identifying them as military service members.
The pair were part of the so-called Carpathian Sich battalion, the FSB said, otherwise known as the 49th Infantry Battalion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The unit is the reincarnation of the eponymous force of Ukrainian nationalists created in 2014 by Oleg Kutsyn of the right-wing Svoboda Party.
According to Colombian media, both men have military backgrounds. They were reportedly arrested in mid-July in Caracas, Venezuela as they were returning to their home country from Poland. It is understood that the Venezuelans spotted the Ukrainian military insignia worn by the passengers.
Earlier this week, Russian diplomat Rodion Miroshnik, who heads a special mission in the Foreign Ministry investigating alleged Ukrainian war crimes, claimed that Moscow had positively identified more than 4,000 mercenaries who have taken part in the conflict on Kiev’s side. He said such people would be held accountable as Russia works to expose their crimes.
This month, a court in Prague sentenced a Czech national to a prison term for engaging in looting on Ukrainian soil, while he was serving for the same Carpathian Sich unit as the two Colombians. Filip Siman claimed during the trial that he was just following orders when he took the possessions of civilians and fallen soldiers in the towns of Bucha and Irpin near Kiev.
