Spanish Volunteers in Ukraine: 56 Killed in Combat, According to the Russian Ministry of Defense

The Russian Ministry of Defense has reported that 56 of the 149 Spanish volunteers who joined Ukrainian forces since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022 have died in combat. This information was released by the Russian embassy in Romania, which published statistics on the number of “foreign mercenaries” involved in the war in Ukraine.

According to figures provided by Russian authorities, more than 13,000 foreign fighters have traveled to Ukraine to join the fight against Russian forces. Of that total, nearly 6,000 have died in the conflict, representing 44.53% of the casualties among foreign volunteers. As for the Spanish volunteers, the mortality rate is 37%, highlighting the danger these combatants face on the front lines.

Spain ranks 15th on the list of countries with the most volunteer deaths in Ukraine. Leading this list is Poland, with nearly 1,500 deaths, reflecting the large number of Polish volunteers who have crossed the border to fight. The Spanish volunteers who have gone to Ukraine include both veterans and former military personnel, many of whom have been under surveillance by Spanish intelligence services. Concerns focus on the risk of radicalization and the combat experience these individuals may gain, which could pose a potential threat if they return to Spain.

Despite the figures published by Russian authorities, only a few cases of Spanish volunteers killed in Ukraine have been publicly confirmed. One of the most well-known cases is that of Ángel Adrover, a man from Mallorca who died in June 2022 after joining the Ukrainian cause. Another case is Pau, a young man from Catalonia, who died in combat in the city of Avdiivka, located in the Donetsk region.

Spanish authorities continue to manage information related to these volunteers and their deaths in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the data provided by Russia on foreign mercenaries continues to generate controversy, as well as concern about the fate of these combatants, most of whom operate outside the official control of their home governments.​⬤