Former Colombian Police Officer Volunteered to Fight for Ukraine Against the Russian Army

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has alerted the whole world, so much so that people from other countries have expressed an interest in going to the border between the two countries and defending Ukrainians from military intervention by Russians. Several former Colombian soldiers have made themselves available to Ukraine, as is the case with William Toro, who spoke to Noticias Caracol about his decision.

Toro is a former officer of the Colombian Anti-Narcotics Police and was found by the media in Przemysl, Poland, where all the volunteers are arriving with the intention of serving the Ukrainian armed forces to defend themselves against the neighboring country. On the microphones of the news, the 32-year-old man pointed out that his motivation to get to Poland was to see the situation through the media and know that with his experience he can help children and families who are separated.

“The need to help. I'm going to put a little bit of my experience, I know it's not much but I think we can help with little,” said the former officer. He assured that he understands the situation and the risk involved, but that his 10 years of experience give him confidence to take on this challenge.

Toro left that city in Poland on the night of Monday, March 14, on his way to the combat zone and decided by the motivations that led him to defend a territory other than his own. Today, he is already one of the uniformed men defending Ukraine from Russian forces.

In addition, the former officer spoke to Blu Radio about the details and said that to get to Poland he had to raise six million pesos, and that after standing in the long line at Przemysl, he was selected by the armed forces because he had the necessary experience. He stressed that the situation of violence is not the same as the one he had to face in Colombia; “I understand that we are not fighting with just anyone, it is against a power; I feel that right now they need help... I knew where I was coming from, just like when I joined the police, I was going, but I didn't know if I was coming back,” he told the station.

He insisted that he is there of “his own free will” and added that in the middle of the line he had to do, other volunteers were rejected for not having the same knowledge of the area.

It should be noted that the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, on February 27, after the start of Russia's attacks on his country, requested that those who wanted to help face the invasion could be part of an elite group of foreign military personnel.

The call was extended through Dmitro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs, who said: “Foreigners willing to defend Ukraine and the world order as part of the International Legion of Territorial Defence of Ukraine, I invite you to contact the foreign diplomatic missions of Ukraine in their respective countries. Together we defeated Hitler and we will also defeat Putin.”

Along with William Toro, another group of former Colombian soldiers had to join this Monday, as approximately 50 responded to that request from Ukrainian officials. One of them, in an interview with El Espectador, revealed what the enlistment process is like. The soldier decided to keep his identity a secret, although he identified that he is a deputy first sergeant in retirement. He noted that everyone was asked for their criminal record, certificate of military combat experience and their resume. “Once he checked that documentation, we were summoned to an interview. God willing in ten days (March 14) we will be joining the legion in Ukraine,” the man told the newspaper at that time.

In other words, this group of former soldiers also had to arrive in Poland on Monday, March 14, to join the ranks of the Ukrainian armed forces. To be part of the Legion of Foreign Military that will help Ukraine, the former military who made the request would be asked to reach Poland with their own resources and, from there, they will be contacted by other members who will help them enter the country that is being attacked by Russia.

“I am pleased that I am wielding a weapon to defend a just cause... I make this sacrifice to get the benefits of being part of the Ukrainian Army, obtaining a good salary, decent health service, educational subsidies, among other advantages that are impossible to achieve in Colombia,” the former Colombian military man stressed to El Espectador.

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