On November 7, 2025, a court in the occupied Donetsk region sentenced two Colombian nationals, Alexander Ante and Jose Aron Medina Aranda, to 13 years in prison each for their involvement in the conflict on the side of Ukraine's Armed Forces. The ruling reflects a series of harsh penalties imposed on foreign fighters by Moscow-backed authorities, who label them as 'mercenaries.' Ante and Medina reportedly fought for Ukraine in 2023 and 2024 before being detained in Venezuela while attempting to return home. Their case has drawn attention in Colombia, where the government has acknowledged the deaths of numerous citizens fighting in Ukraine since the war began in February 2022. The legal status of foreign fighters remains contentious, as many are formally enlisted in the Ukrainian military, which contradicts the Russian narrative of them being mercenaries. This situation raises significant concerns regarding the treatment of foreign fighters under international law.