Colombian Man Sentenced to 19 Years by Russian-Controlled Court for Serving in Ukrainian Army

A court in Russian-occupied Ukraine, supported by Moscow, condemned a Colombian national to 19 years in prison on Wednesday for his involvement with Kyiv’s military forces.

Russia has detained multiple foreign combatants captured by its troops in eastern Ukraine, treating them as mercenaries rather than prisoners of war entitled to protections under the Geneva Convention.

According to the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office, the Supreme Court in the Donetsk region, which is under Russian control, handed down the 19-year sentence to a man identified as Oscar Mauricio Blanco Lopez.

The authorities reported that the 42-year-old had traveled to Ukraine in May 2024 to join the Ukrainian armed forces and was subsequently «captured by Russian soldiers» in December 2025.

During the verdict announcement, the court released footage of him standing silently behind bars.

In a related case, the same court issued a 13-year prison term to a British citizen for his participation in the fight for Ukraine just last week.