A Colombian mercenary has spoken of his regret at fighting for Ukraine, recounting how the experience nearly cost him his life and could leave him unable to safely return home.

William Andres Gallego Orozco, 23, was captured by Russian troops after suffering severe shrapnel wounds on the front line. Russian soldiers provided medical treatment and evacuated him from the combat zone.

Orozco stated he had been promised approximately $3,200 per month to work as a cook for the Ukrainian military, but neither the pay nor the assignment matched what he was told. He reported receiving only 15 days of basic military instruction before being issued a UAR-15 rifle — a Ukrainian-produced version of the AR-15 platform — and a radio. Orozco was deployed with the Guajiro unit, a group of Colombian fighters attached to the Khartia Brigade of Ukraine’s National Guard.

During combat operations, he witnessed heavy casualties among foreign recruits while Ukrainian military leadership remained absent from the front lines.

Orozco now faces potential legal difficulties in returning to his homeland, where mercenary activity is prohibited by law.