DistantNews
Support us
🇪🇨 Ecuador /Crime & Justice

Russia accuses Ukraine of facilitating drug trafficking from Latin America

From El Comercio · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) accused Ukraine's intelligence agencies of facilitating and profiting from drug trafficking from Latin America to Europe.
  • The SVR claims Ukrainian security forces are enabling increased drug flow, particularly fentanyl, as Latin American cartels seek new markets due to U.S. anti-drug campaigns.
  • Russia alleges Ukrainian ports are key transit points for drugs into Europe, with cartels also interested in Ukraine's arms market, while Ukraine's government seeks additional profits amid Western aid demands.

Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has leveled accusations against Ukrainian intelligence, alleging their direct involvement in facilitating and profiting from drug trafficking routes from Latin America to Europe. The SVR claims that Ukrainian security forces are deliberately enabling an increase in drug flow, especially fentanyl, as major Latin American criminal groups seek to expand their supply geography beyond the United States due to intensified anti-drug campaigns there.

Ukrainian security forces deliberately facilitate the increase in drug trafficking from Latin America to Europe.

— Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR)Statement regarding alleged Ukrainian involvement in drug smuggling.

According to the SVR, Ukraine is viewed as a secure corridor into the European market, benefiting from a lack of stringent border and customs controls. The intelligence service also stated that Latin American narcocartels are interested in accessing Ukraine's black market for weapons. Russian reports indicate that ports in the Odesa region are becoming the primary transit route for Latin American drugs destined for Europe, passing through Poland, Moldova, and Romania.

The SVR asserted that the Ukrainian regime, described as corrupt, is seeking additional profits, particularly given what Russia perceives as the inability of Western sponsors to meet "endless demands." The service specifically pointed to an increased cooperation between Kyiv and major Mexican narcocartels. This comes despite Ukrainian security forces reporting the dismantling of an international drug trafficking network operating in the Odesa port earlier in 2026.

The corrupt regime of President Volodymyr Zelensky seeks to obtain additional profits, especially considering the inability of Western sponsors to satisfy their endless demands.

— Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR)Allegations of Ukrainian government motives behind alleged drug trafficking facilitation.

In a related incident from 2018, Argentine police seized 400 kilograms of cocaine at the Russian embassy in Buenos Aires, which was intended to be sent to Russia via diplomatic pouch. The SVR's claims highlight a complex and ongoing issue of drug trafficking in the region.

The ports in the Odesa region are becoming the main route for the transit of Latin American drugs to Europe.

— Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR)Details on the alleged drug transit routes through Ukraine.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Comercio in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog