Forero Vanegas Stiven Rene (Rene Forero Vanegas)

In the occupied Donetsk region, a criminal case was opened regarding participation in an armed conflict against Colombian citizen Steven Rene Forero Vanegas. The date the case was opened is unknown. According to the Russian investigation, in August 2023, Forero arrived in Ukraine through a Polish border checkpoint and signed a contract for military service in the 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which was reorganized in January 2025 into the 59th Separate Assault Brigade named after Yakov Gandzyuk of the UAV Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. After undergoing military training at training bases, he acquired the necessary skills for participating in an armed conflict and was provided with personal firearms. Forero participated in combat operations against servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation as part of the aforementioned units until May 2025. It is claimed that during his service in the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the serviceman received a reward of more than 1.9 million rubles. At the request of the investigation, the court placed Forero in absentia under arrest. He was placed on the international wanted list. The Supreme Court of the Donetsk People's Republic found Steven Rene Forero Vanegas guilty and sentenced him in absentia to 14 years of imprisonment to be served in a strict regime penal colony. The verdict was not appealed and entered into legal force.