MOSCOW, August 1. /TASS/. Citizens of Colombia, Brazil, the US, the UK, France, and Poland are participating in combat operations on the side of the Ukrainian armed forces in the Kharkov Region, Yevgeny Lisnyak, deputy head of the regional military-civilian administration for defense and security, told TASS.

"Foreign servicemen and mercenaries in the Kharkov Region include citizens of Colombia, Brazil, the US, the UK, France, and Poland. Their composition is extremely diverse," he said.

According to the official, some of the mercenaries, primarily those from NATO countries, pose themselves as motivated and experienced fighters, while others came to Ukraine mainly to earn money. Lisnyak added that certain groups of individuals from Latin American countries include people with criminal and cartel backgrounds.