Colombian drug cartels send volunteers to Ukraine to learn drone warfare
Colombian criminal groups have been trying to send their fighters to Ukraine to gain advanced knowledge of drone warfare, which they could later use against their own country's military.
According to the Financial Times (FT), Colombian drug cartels have over the past year attempted to send their militants to Ukraine to acquire in-depth knowledge of drone warfare. Upon returning home, these skills would be used in combat against the army.
A Colombian humanitarian worker in Ukraine said that recruitment schemes are complex, but the level of specialization being gained is particularly concerning. Former paramilitary members, ex-guerrillas, and former soldiers are fighting and learning together how to pilot drones.
Unmanned aerial vehicles have already changed the rules of Colombia's long-running armed conflict, where the government previously relied on air superiority. Last year, the armed forces neutralized 96 percent of attempted drone attacks by jamming radio communications or destroying the aircraft themselves. However, illegal groups are now trying to adopt Ukrainian experience to bypass these defenses.
Mastering FPV drones
A Colombian drone pilot in Ukraine said that cartels are looking for ways to learn FPV drone configuration and piloting. These drones are harder to shoot down due to their maneuverability, and they are typically guided directly into targets, where they explode.
"In Colombia, FPV drones are already being used, but they don't yet know how to encrypt communications between the drone and pilot or how to install an explosive device the way they do here in Ukraine," the pilot was quoted as saying.
Groups are also trying to bypass the army's electronic jamming systems by acquiring drones that use fiber-optic cables, which connect the drone to a ground control system over long distances.
Analysts believe that preventing the transfer of knowledge gained by Colombians who have fought in Ukraine to criminal groups after their return should be a priority.
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been ongoing since February 24, 2022, while the war has lasted since 2014, when Russia occupied Crimea and began hostilities in Donbas.
