Latin American Heroes in Kharkiv

Yuriy Butusov spoke with Colombians and Argentinians – infantrymen of the 13th Brigade of the National Guard “Khartia,” who are fighting against Russian occupiers near the village of Lyptsi, Kharkiv region.

I observed the results of their combat work – the Latin American unit “Khartia” distinguished itself in June 2024 by decimating a battalion of the 7th Motor Rifle Regiment of the Russian Armed Forces near Lyptsi. In close combat, the Colombians and Argentinians eliminated about a dozen Russians (video will be released soon).

The commander, “Machete,” has 20 years of service in the Argentine infantry, including mountain troops. The unit consists of a group of motivated and well-trained fighters, professional soldiers, and a group of young recruits, aged 22-25, who lack experience but are quick learners. They do not panic and strive to perform their duties diligently.

For their successful offensive operation, all Latin American fighters were awarded the “For the Defense of Ukraine” medal by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The awards were personally presented to the Ukrainian and Latin American infantrymen by the brigade commander of “Khartia,” Ihor Obolensky. The Latin Americans are respected within the brigade – they receive all necessary supplies, full combat pay of 120,000 hryvnias (without any deductions), quality field accommodations, and, most importantly, they are treated with the same respect as Ukrainian soldiers and are deployed thoughtfully. They understand the calculated risk and therefore execute their tasks clearly.

Unfortunately, during a month of intense fighting for Kharkiv, two Colombian infantrymen heroically lost their lives. I produced several pieces of material with these brave Latin American warriors.

Clearly, if we had a systematic recruitment effort abroad and published more about the successful combat experiences of Latin Americans in the war, we could attract many more quality fighters from Colombia, Argentina, and other countries. With proper treatment and honest relationships, a large number of Latin Americans and Europeans could join the fight against Russian Nazism, which threatens the entire civilized world.

I urge the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Volodymyr Zelensky to note that we lack a systematic approach to attracting foreign volunteers. Practice shows that we could recruit many times more, significantly strengthening our army. This is truly effective.

Ukraine Front Lines