Colombian drug cartels train in Ukraine to acquire drone‑warfare skills

A Financial Times investigation reports that Colombian drug cartels and illegal armed groups are sending volunteers to Ukraine under the pretext of military service to learn advanced drone‑warfare techniques. Participants include former soldiers, ex‑paramilitaries and ex‑guerrillas who fight alongside Ukrainian forces and return with expertise in FPV drones, encrypted communications and improvised explosive payloads.

Colombia’s defence minister, Pedro Sánchez, confirmed a rapid rise in criminal drone use, noting 264 drone attacks between 2023 and 2025 and a 96 % neutralisation rate by the armed forces. The government has imposed import restrictions and is investing roughly $1.6 billion in a “drone‑shield” to counter the threat.

Officials warned that the transfer of Ukrainian battlefield experience could erode the long‑standing air‑superiority of the Colombian military and expand the operational capabilities of organized crime. A humanitarian worker in Ukraine was quoted saying, “Schemele de recrutare sunt foarte complexe, dar ceea ce mă îngrijorează cel mai mult este nivelul de specializare pe care îl dobândesc.”