THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Ukrainian authorities are currently probing the alleged infiltration of members from Latin American drug cartels into its International Legion, where they are suspected of acquiring advanced drone-operating skills intended for use in criminal activities back home.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), in collaboration with military intelligence, initiated the investigation following a tip-off from Mexico’s National Intelligence Center early in the summer. The alert indicated that individuals from Mexico had enlisted in Ukrainian foreign fighter groups with the aim of learning first-person view (FPV) drone techniques. The investigation has broadened to include individuals from Colombia, which has raised alarms about the unintentional role Ukraine is playing as a training hub for international criminal networks.

The initial report on this development was made by the French news service Intelligence Online on a recent Tuesday.

Focus of the investigation is primarily on Hispanic-speaking factions within the International Legion, especially a tactical squad named “Ethos” active in the Donetsk and Kharkiv areas. It is suspected that certain Mexican and Colombian volunteers deliberately sought roles in drone operating segments to utilize this training for criminal purposes abroad.

A significant instance involves a Mexican citizen using the pseudonym “Águila-7,” who enrolled in March 2024 with counterfeit Salvadoran papers. Under the guise of a humanitarian aide, he underwent extensive drone training in Lviv, showing a high level of technical proficiency that eventually aroused the suspicions of his instructors.

His adeptness in handling complex technologies, including electronic warfare counteractions and evading thermal detection, was particularly notable. Further checks revealed likely links to the elite Mexican GAFE special forces, a group known for some of its members defecting to work with notorious cartels like the violent Zetas.

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This infiltration showcases the sophisticated operational methods employed by such non-state groups, utilizing fake identities, forged documents, and shell companies to gain entry into Ukraine and integrate with military units. Intelligence reports have uncovered a network of private security companies across Latin America implicated in orchestrating these placements.

Further instances have been discovered involving former FARC militants who entered the setup using fake Panamanian and Venezuelan IDs. These former guerrillas were reportedly moved through the International Legion, their journeys arranged by organizations connected to the cartels.

These disclosures underscore the accidental development of Ukraine as a leading center for training in modern guerrilla warfare tactics amidst its ongoing conflict with Russia. Ukrainian military programs now extensively cover drone creation, tactical use, resistance to electronic warfare, and synchronization in real-time combat scenarios. These skills are precisely what criminal groups are looking to harness to enhance their operational capabilities.

With Mexican cartels already deploying drone strikes within their domestic conflicts, the transfer of Ukrainian combat-proven drone techniques poses a significant threat to regional stability.

An anonymous official from the SBU expressed to Intelligence Online: “We initially welcomed these volunteers believing in their goodwill. However, it has become clear that Ukraine is inadvertently becoming a platform for spreading FPV tactics globally. Some individuals come to learn lethal drone operations here and then distribute that knowledge worldwide to whoever pays the most.”