A Ukrainian combat infantry unit mostly recruited from Colombian and Brazilian volunteers overran Russian positions in the northeastern Kharkiv region in recent fighting, Thursday statements from the unit and its chain of command said. Assault teams from the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) 23rd Assault Regiment R.U.G. (reconnaissance-assault group) captured Russian positions between the villages of Dvorichna and Zapadne and liberated about four square kilometers (1.5 square miles/1,000 acres) of territory, a statement published by the unit on Thursday said. The AFU General Staff and the 23rd’s parent command 2nd Corps Khartiya confirmed the local success.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Most of the 23rd Regiment’s soldiers and junior officers are volunteers recruited from Latin America. Colombians, followed by Brazilians predominate in the reportedly 500-personnel unit, but Mexicans, Argentines, Chileans and Paraguayans are also in the ranks, along with an Old-World contingent from Spain, Portugal and Italy. Each fighter is paid the standard AFU salary for a combat infantry soldier. Helmet cam, drone overhead video clips and graphics published by the unit showed that Russian positions around the village of Dvorichna were hit with a daylight attack by 23rd Regiment infantry using a forest and adjacent wetland to make a covered and concealed approach. Heavily armed soldiers in groups of 3-5 troops are shown moving carefully in small groups through thick woodland as observation drones watch overhead.