At least 15 Panamanians were recruited to take part in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, and one of them lost his life, the country’s authorities announced on Friday, alerting the population to this “mortal risk”.
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Panama’s Foreign Ministry said it was investigating the presence of its nationals in this conflict, triggered in 2022 by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, following complaints from families whose relatives had become involved.
Acting Foreign Minister Carlos Arturo Hoyos said on Telemetro that at least 15 Panamanians had been recruited since 2025, without specifying which side they were fighting on.
“Some knew exactly what they were signing up for, but others feel they were deceived, believing they were going to work as private security guards, or drive construction equipment,” he explained.
“People must remain vigilant, knowing that this can represent a risk, a fatal risk,” he added.
Without providing additional details, Mr. Hoyos confirmed that one individual had died and that several others were missing.
The Minister of the Presidency, Juan Carlos Orillac, described the situation as a “disgrace,” emphasizing that neither the Panamanian government nor the president had anything to do with these recruitments.
“We disagree, we are not involved and we have no intention of letting this happen,” he said.
The Attorney General’s Office said it was carrying out two parallel investigations, aimed at determining whether offenses had been committed on Panamanian territory and establishing responsibilities.
The Foreign Ministry said it had repeatedly requested information from the Russian and Ukrainian embassies, and had also raised the issue directly with Moscow and Kyiv.
The Russian authorities, for their part, responded that “the contracts signed are of a voluntary nature and result from an individual decision on the part of those who sign them”.
