Families demand repatriation of bodies of Colombians who died in Ukraine: This war is a slaughterhouse for foreigners'

"He had joined the Ukrainian army to fight in the war against Russia, drawn, like so many others, by the lucrative salaries. That day, Ricardo Velasquez told her he was going on a mission to the front lines. Worry immediately set in. I cried all weekend, went to Mass, and felt terrible, she says. Her feeling that something bad had happened was confirmed on Monday: he was dead. A Russian drone attacked him as he tried to escape."

"Despite this, he is officially listed as missing, yet she continues to receive his salary. To resolve her doubts, she traveled to Ukraine in June. She spent approximately $4,000 seeking answers, but returned with even more questions. Without a death certificate, we face many problems here in Colombia. The banks call us constantly, the authorities won't leave us alone. Even though we know he's dead, as far as the system is concerned, he's still alive, she says."

"The human aspect is another agonizing one: Without a burial, the grieving process is much harder. Several commanders have told me it's very likely I'll never recover his body. Red Cross officials told her something similar when she went to Ukraine; that it would be a process that would take years. Between 2,000 and 3,000 Colombians have volunteered to fight in the Ukrainian army, according to various estimates. The Foreign Ministry acknowledges that at least 300 Colombians have died, but the number is much higher, according to their families."

Marta Sarmiento's husband, Ricardo Velasquez, joined the Ukrainian army for lucrative pay and was killed by a Russian drone while trying to escape a front-line mission. Marta confirmed his death through a comrade's testimony and a Russian Telegram channel, but he remains officially listed as missing and she still receives his salary. She traveled to Ukraine in June, spent about $4,000 seeking a death certificate, and returned without official proof, creating legal and financial difficulties in Colombia. Lack of a recovered body prevents burial, complicating grieving, and officials warn recovery could take years. Estimates put 2,000–3,000 Colombian volunteers in Ukraine and at least 300 acknowledged dead, with families believing the death toll is higher.

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