A Colombian mercenary was sentenced in absentia to 13.5 years in a penal colony.

The Supreme Court of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) has sentenced Colombian citizen Rudu Luis Miguel Ortiz to 13.5 years in prison in absentia for participating in an armed conflict as part of the International Legion on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). This was reported on May 22 in the press service of the DPR prosecutor's office.

"The court found that in October 2023, Ortiz arrived at the Ternopil Regional Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center in Ukraine, voluntarily joined the International Legion," the agency's website says.

It is specified that he took part in the conflict until February 2025 and received a reward of more than 1.5 million rubles.

The verdict was passed under Part 3 of Article 359 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Participation of a mercenary in an armed conflict"). The punishment was imposed in the form of imprisonment in a high-security penal colony.

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On May 19, the Moscow City Court sentenced in absentia British soldier Ariel Moshe, who fought on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, to six years in a penal colony for mercenary activities. It was clarified that the foreign citizen was a member of the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine.