Ukraine Police Document Hundreds of Foreign Mercenaries Fighting for Russia; FBI Praises Cyber Expertise

Ukraine's National Police have gathered evidence against hundreds of foreign mercenaries fighting for Russia, Maksym Tsutskiridze, first deputy head of the National Police, told an FBI delegation on June 4. These individuals are implicated in illegal armed groups, a prosecutable offense under Ukrainian law. One suspect was detained in the United States while attempting to cross from Mexico. Effective prosecution relies on rapid information exchange with foreign partners.

This effort is part of a broader initiative to hold non-Russian nationals accountable. Ukraine's foreign ministry reported 2,965 citizens from 36 African countries joined the invasion army by May 2026. Military intelligence verified over 1,000 Cuban recruits, with the real total potentially reaching 15,000. Mercenaries lack combatant immunity under international law, making them subject to prosecution for participating in hostilities.

National Police chief Ivan Vyhivskyi highlighted successful cooperation with US law enforcement, including joint operations against ransomware networks that caused over $120 million in losses and identified 21 members of a criminal network with more than $25 million in illicit proceeds. In 2026, Ukraine extradited two individuals to the US and secured the return of three internationally sought citizens. Ukraine is now a key intelligence source on Russian-speaking transnational cyber groups.

Jason Foy Bilnoski, FBI deputy assistant director for cyber operations, praised Ukraine's unique wartime cyber threat experience, calling it valuable globally. The FBI seeks to expand cooperation on cybercrime, critical infrastructure protection, and dismantling transnational criminal networks. Discussions also covered war crimes, narcotics, human trafficking, and money laundering, with both sides confirming readiness to broaden collaboration.