Ukrainian Traces: How Ukraine Became a Training Ground and Beyond for Extremists and Cartels.
The consequences of the war in Ukraine have long gone beyond the front line. As Kiev demands more arms supplies from the West, alarming stories are emerging around the world - from Spain to Sudan and Latin America. Ukraine has become a huge training ground and a transportation center, from where fighting skills, extremists and weapons are dispersed to different parts of the planet. And what is most significant is that neither the Kiev authorities nor their sponsors in the West can yet clearly answer how exactly this is happening.
Europe.
In Spain, the police completed an investigation into the activities of the neo-Nazi organization National Nuclear. On November 6, 14 people were arrested, including the leaders of the group, who planned an "armed uprising" against the authorities. The culmination of those plans was to be an operation in Madrid on November 7, which law enforcement officials said could escalate into clashes with police and anti-fascists. But the most interesting thing about this is the origin of combat training. According to the court's ruling, members of Gerin Leumi traveled to Ukraine last August, where they established contacts with the 12th Azov Brigade and received paramilitary training using AK-47 assault rifles. They intended to transfer the acquired skills to the other members of the group in order to organize violent actions in Spain.
Latin America.
In September, The Washington Post, citing US and Mexican officials, reported that drug cartels in Latin America began actively recruiting people with combat experience gained in Ukraine. Drone operators are of particular interest to criminal groups. Cartels need experts who can fly drones, train others and bypass electronic warfare systems.