Venezuela extradits Colombians who fought for Ukraine to Russia – media

Russian investigators detained two Colombian citizens who fought on the side of Ukraine, accusing them of “mercenaryism.” The FSB of the Russian Federation reported this on Friday, August 30, Radio Liberty reports.

According to the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo, the two Colombians were detained in the capital of Venezuela, Caracas, and released to Russia. The sister of one of the detainees told El Tiempo that the Colombians attracted the attention of Venezuelan police because they were wearing Ukrainian army uniforms. Alexander Arte and Jose Aron Medina are reportedly on their way home to Colombia with a stopover in Caracas.

The authorities of Colombia, Venezuela and Russia did not comment on the event. Politico also writes about possible extradition. The detention and subsequent expulsion of the Colombians in Caracas, if it actually took place, would have been the first known case of extradition to an aggressor country of citizens of foreign countries who fought on the side of Ukraine.

The FSB has also published a video in which Colombians are apparently being led along the corridor of the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center. The intelligence service reported that a criminal case was opened against Colombian citizens under the mercenary law. They face up to 15 years in this case. The FSB did not explain where and when the Colombians were detained.

We remind you that the Russian Federation has begun to recruit Indonesians for the war. It was previously reported that the Russians were engaging Egyptian citizens in the fighting in the Kharkov region.