The court sentenced the mercenary of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Colombia to nine years in prison

The court sentenced a Colombian citizen to nine years in prison for participating in hostilities on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). This was announced on April 24 by the press service of the Investigative Committee of Russia.

According to the investigation, in April 2024, Miguel Angel Cardenas Montilla arrived in Ukraine and took up the position of an arrow of the 59th separate motorized infantry Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

After undergoing special military training, he participated in combat operations against Russian military personnel in the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and received financial compensation for this.

In June last year, the mercenary was detained by soldiers of the Russian Armed Forces (AF) and handed over to the investigative authorities. The Colombian fully admitted his guilt in the commission of the crime.

He noted that the Ukrainian military ignored the mercenaries' requests to evacuate from the war zone, which caused the majority of his colleagues to die. At the same time, Cardenas Montilla also stressed that he survived thanks to the humane attitude of the Russian military personnel who provided him with water, food and clothing.

"He was found guilty of committing a crime under Part 3 of Article 359 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Mercenary activity"). <...> The court sentenced Cardenas Montilla to nine years in prison to be served in a high—security penal colony," the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation said in a Telegram channel.

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On April 18, the press service of the Russian FSB Directorate for the Luhansk People's Republic (LNR) reported that an Australian citizen would stand trial for participating in the conflict in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was established that he had signed a contract with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense for military service in the 66th separate mechanized brigade.