Natalie Leticia Gallón

An estimated 2,000 Colombian soldiers, like 32-year-old Deivis, have signed up to defend Ukraine against Russia, for life-changing pay. He tells WLRN why he joined the fight, how he lost his leg on the battlefield and his new life playing soccer in Ukraine's "League of the Mighty."

An estimated 2,000 Colombian mercenaries serve on Ukraine's front lines, defending against Russia's aggression. They face death or serious injury on the conflict's brutal battlefields, for pay that could change their lives on the return home. It's also a chance to "defend freedom" and be on the side of the "good guys," they tell WLRN.