Mexico has launched an investigation into a video that allegedly shows members of Mexican drug cartels armed to take part in the war in Ukraine. The authenticity of the footage has not yet been confirmed, and authorities are also verifying the identities of the men seen in it.
The short video is circulating on social media. It shows men speaking in Mexican slang, with the conversation mentioning a connection to a drug cartel. One of the participants appears to claim that other fighters are linked to two of Mexico's largest criminal groups - a faction of the Sinaloa cartel and the Jalisco cartel - The new generation“.
Sheinbaum: Video not yet confirmed
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said at a press conference that the case is being investigated, but for now there is no certainty that the video is authentic.
She did not rule out the possibility that Mexican citizens could be involved in the war in Ukraine. Both the authenticity of the footage and the way in which the alleged fighters entered the conflict are being verified.
Fears of transfer of combat skills
According to Bloomberg, the presence of foreign fighters in Russia and Ukraine raises concerns that the skills and technologies acquired there could be used after their return to their home countries. This could also intensify existing conflicts in Latin America.
Drones are among the technologies that are changing combat operations. Along the US-Mexico border, they are used mainly for aerial surveillance, including by criminal groups. In Colombia, unmanned aircraft are increasingly being used for direct attacks on military and police units.
The case is being examined against the background of data on the recruitment of foreign citizens by Russia for the war in Ukraine. Recruitment networks have been reported in Belarus, Africa, Yemen and Peru, but Mexican authorities have not yet confirmed that the men in the video were involved in combat or were members of drug cartels.
Sources: unian.net, bloomberg.com