In this episode, Vince welcomes back Katarina Szulc, investigative journalist and host of the Ironclad Original, Borderland: Dispatches.
Kat shares insights from her recent reporting in Ukraine, where authorities are investigating claims that foreign fighters with cartel ties traveled to the front lines to learn modern combat tactics before returning to Latin America.
The conversation also explores
foreign mercenaries in Ukraine
the evolution of cartel warfare
U.S. pressure on cartel leadership
corruption in Mexico
what these developments could mean for the future of organized crime
Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
01:44 - Cartels, Ukraine, and FPV Drone Warfare
03:26 - The Colombian Connection & Drone Schools in Lviv
09:52 - American Mercenaries & Background Checks on the Front Lines
11:33 - Gamers vs. Combat: How Simple is FPV Drone Flying?
15:24 - Behind the Scenes of the Global Mercenary Recruitment Machine
25:06 - US Boots on the Ground & The Standoff over Drone Strikes in Mexico
29:51 - Cartel Corruption & Political Gaslighting in Sinaloa
34:22 - The 2026 World Cup: A Cartel Moneymaker?
47:17 - 2026 Wrap-Up: The Year of the Fallen Kingpins & The Endless Drug War
