Russian authorities detained two Colombian nationals who fought for Ukraine, Russia's Security Service (FSB) said on Aug. 30. The two Colombian men were extradited from Venezuela after being detained by Venezuelan authorities during a layover in Caracas, on-route back home to Colombia.
The two men, Alexander Ante and Jose Aron Medina, reportedly joined the International Legion in the summer of 2023, Spanish media reported. They were detained in the Caracas airport in mid-July by Venezuelan authorities who allegedly confirmed their participation in the war for Ukraine.
According to the FSB, the men were allegedly found with document outlining their involvement with the war as well as Ukrainian military attire.
The extradition to Russia marks the first such case since the full-scale invasion began. The extradition is largely seen as a symbolic move as Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro continues to underscore his close relationship with Moscow, bolstered by the shared animosity toward the West.
Maduro has denounced Western sanctions imposed against Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and called Caracas and Moscow "loyal allies."
Earlier this summer in an attempted show of force, two Russian naval ships docked in Venezuela's La Guaira port on July 2 after exercises in the North Atlantic supposedly intended to "show the flag" in the region.
The two men were placed in pre-trial detention on Aug. 30 in Moscow’s high-security Lefortovo prison. In convicted, the men face up to 15-year in prison.
Francis Farrell
