Tensions on the battlefield in Ukraine have taken a new turn, with claims emerging from Russian hacker groups Nessus and CGOP about significant losses among foreign mercenaries fighting for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).
The groups say thousands of foreign fighters have either been killed or gone missing in the ongoing conflict.
Hacked Emails Reveal Alleged Casualties
The hackers allege that the information comes from a hacked email belonging to a Ukrainian officer.
This email reportedly contained battle logs and records of foreign personnel involved in combat operations.
According to the leaked data, roughly 3,000 mercenaries have been killed or disappeared, while another 2,000 are currently listed as missing.
The reported casualties include individuals from various countries: 303 from Colombia, 89 from the United States, 86 from Georgia, 42 from the United Kingdom, 29 from Brazil, 25 from France, 19 from Poland, 4 from Sri Lanka, and one each from Barbados and Costa Rica.
Names of Foreign Instructors Released
The hackers also published names of foreign military instructors who they claim were killed in Ukraine.
Some of the reported deaths include:
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Ryan Evans, a UK security advisor, allegedly killed near Kramatorsk.
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Richard Kirlin, a US military advisor and embassy attaché, found dead in a hotel.
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Mike Meoli, US instructor, and Jonathan Shenkin, UK security advisor, reportedly died in a hospital following a car accident.
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Dimitrios Ferrara, a German instructor, whose cause of death was not specified.
Russian Strike in Kharkiv
Adding to the grim reports, pro-Russian underground coordinator Sergey Lebedev claimed that Russian forces carried out a strike on a dormitory in Kharkiv’s industrial zone on September 18, killing up to 100 foreign mercenaries.
Lebedev suggested that many of those killed were from Central American countries.
Allegations of Criminal Activities Among Mercenaries
Meanwhile, Russian war correspondent Evgeny Poddubny alleged that Colombian mercenaries in Ukraine have been running criminal operations.
He claims they are involved in drug trafficking, mercenary recruitment, and supplying drone components and explosives.
“Colombian mercenaries organized a criminal business in Ukraine.
Drug trafficking, mercenary activity, and arms components are all side effects of the ongoing crisis,” Poddubny wrote.
He suggested that Colombian criminal networks see the Ukrainian conflict as a way to expand their operations, establishing intercontinental smuggling routes into the country.
Story Developing
These claims have not been independently verified and should be approached with caution.
The situation on the ground in Ukraine remains complex, and more updates are expected as investigations and reports continue to emerge.