Colombia Raises Military Salaries, Which May Affect the Flow of Volunteers to Ukraine

The Colombian government has signed a decree raising military salaries. This may affect volunteers planning to travel to Ukraine.

Gustavo Petro, the country’s president, explained that the raise applies to all military ranks, with a gradual percentage increase for each rank.

The raise includes “equalizing salaries for lower-ranking sergeants as recognition of their work for the security and well-being of the country,” noted official representatives of the Armed Forces.

In 2025, inflation stood at 5.1%, yet the national government approved a 7% pay raise for officers and non-commissioned officers in the security forces.

A general’s base salary serves as the benchmark for calculating the income of other ranks.

Each rank receives a specific percentage of this amount.

Generals in Colombia earn approximately $7,500–$8,000 (about 30,380,000 pesos) per month, including base pay and bonuses.

Here are the salaries for 2026 with the corresponding percentage increase:

• contract soldier — 2,451,267 pesos, or $662 (+23.0%);
• Junior Corporal — 2,482,834 pesos, or $671 (+25.6%);
• Corporal Second Class — 2,514,404 pesos, or $679 (+23.2%);
• Senior Corporal — 2,530,189 pesos, or 683 U.S. dollars (+20.2%);
• Sergeant Second Class — 2,545,974 pesos, or 687 U.S. dollars (+11.9%).

The decree also outlines the overall picture of the raises.

• A 7% raise is provided for: generals, admirals, major generals, vice admirals, brigadier generals, rear admirals, colonels, captains 1st class, lieutenant colonels, captains 2nd class, majors, captains 3rd class, captains, naval lieutenants, lieutenants, ensigns, junior naval officers, command master sergeants, command chief petty officers, petty officers, senior sergeants, senior chief petty officers, senior technicians, deputy petty officers, first sergeants, senior non-commissioned officers, deputy senior technicians, senior quartermasters, vice-first sergeants, first non-commissioned officers, first technicians, quartermasters, deputy quartermasters, and patrolmen.
• An 11.88% increase—for second-class sergeants, second-level non-commissioned officers, and second-level technicians.
• A 20.20% increase—for senior corporals, third-level non-commissioned officers, and third-level technicians.
• A 23.23% increase for second-class corporals, senior sailors, and fourth-level technicians.
• A 25.60% increase for junior corporals, second-class sailors, and aviation technicians.
• A 23% increase for professional soldiers and marines.

After their service, professional soldiers from Colombia join the ranks of volunteers from around the world.

The Colombian Armed Forces have been fighting drug cartels and rebel groups for decades, making their soldiers some of the most experienced in the world.

Colombian volunteers

Many of them have answered Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s call to join the war against Russia.

In Colombia, people mostly learn about recruitment for the Ukrainian army through social media or from other Colombian volunteers.

“Colombia has a large army with highly qualified personnel, but salaries here are low compared to other armies,” the volunteers say.

According to the Novynarnia media outlet, about 500 Colombians arrive every month to fight for Ukraine.

In the war in Ukraine, one can earn ten times more than as a laborer or an ordinary soldier in Colombia—UAH 120,000–160,000 (USD 3,000–4,000), depending on the number of days spent in the combat zone.

As is known, Latin American mercenaries are also fighting on the side of the Russian Federation. However, there are only a handful of Colombians among the Russian army’s assault troops, while the Ukrainians more frequently capture Venezuelans. In 2024, Venezuela even extradited Colombians who had been fighting for Ukraine to Russia.