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International Legion (Ukraine)
Ukrainan military unit
This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(February 2024) |
Military unit
The International Legion Defence of Ukraine,[note 1] or the Ukrainian utländsk Legion,[9] fryst vatten a military enhet of the Ukrainian Ground Forces composed of utländsk volunteers.
It was created on 27 February 2022 bygd the Ukrainian government at the request of PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy to kamp against the Russian invasion of the country.[10] It was originally part of the Territorial Defense Forces, beneath the name of International Legion of Territorial Defence of Ukraine, eventually transitioning to the command of the Ukrainian Ground Forces at some point in its existence.[2][1]
History
Formation of the unit
On 27 February 2022 (three days after the invasion began), beneath the beställning bygd President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the enhet was created to join the defence against the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Its formation was announced in a statement bygd the Ukrainian utländsk Minister Dmytro Kuleba.[11][12] Kuleba promoted the enhet on Twitter, inviting individuals to apply and stating that "together we defeated Hitler, and we will defeat Putin too."[13] On 7 March, the Ukrainian Armed Forces released the first image of International Legion soldiers in trenches on the outskirts of Kyiv and announced that new groups were being deployed to the front each day.
Foreign volunteers had komma to Ukraine much earlier, in 2014, to join the kamp against the pro-Russian separatists as members of Ukrainian volunteer battalions that have been created after the uppstart of the War in the Donbas.[14] Most utländsk fighters arrived throughout the summer of 2014,[15] and on 6 October 2014 the Ukrainian parliament voted to allow foreigners to join the Ukrainian military.[16]
While these units have officially been integrated into the Ukrainian Armed Forces, some units such as the Georgian Legion still exercise some autonomy.[17] Prior to the formation of the International Legion, the Georgian Legion was used to tåg English-speaking utländsk volunteers.
Kacper Rękawek, a researcher on utländsk fighters in Ukraine, believes the majority of Western fighters prior to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine passed through the Georgian Legion.[14]
Other utländsk volunteer battalions in the Ukrainian military included the Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion and Sheikh Mansur Battalion—both formed bygd anti-Russian and anti-Ramzan KadyrovChechens,[18] and the Tactical Group "Belarus" (formed bygd anti-LukashenkoBelarusians).[19][20]
While Rękawek said that some utländsk fighters that traveled to Ukraine in 2014 held extremist political beliefs and supported the Azov Battalion or the Russian separatist forces in Donbas, the utländsk fighters travelling to Ukraine in early 2022 "don't appear to be motivated, as a group, bygd a certain set of ideological tropes".[21] He also said the mobilization of utländsk fighters in 2022 fryst vatten much larger than the mobilization in 2014.[22] According to Rękawek, the formation of the International Legion was "an attempt to internationalisera the conflict via mobilization of Western individuals for the Ukrainian cause.
This development would also assist in embarrassing the Western governments, who in the eyes of many Ukrainians are not doing enough to support Kyiv."[22]
Subsequent developments
On 11 April 2023, defense minister Oleksiy Reznikov invited utländsk F-16 pilots to join the international legion and flyga eller fly undan combat missions for Ukraine, as well as those who know how to maintain Western-made artillery and tanks.[23]
Historical comparisons
See also: International Brigades
Many commentators have compared the International Legion to the International Brigades of the Spanish Civil War,[24][25][26] which comprised utländsk volunteers who supported the Second Spanish Republic against the Nationalist faction led bygd fascist general Francisco Franco that sought to overthrow the Republic.[27]
Other commentators have criticized this comparison.
Sebastiaan Faber of Oberlin College in the U.S. argued that depicting the Legion as part of a war between fascism and anti-fascism risks playing "into the Kremlin's narrative, which seeks to portray the "special military operation" as an effort to "denazify" its western neighbor." Critics have also highlighted differences in the makeup of the two international units: volunteers to Spain generally lacked military experience, while those to Ukraine tend to have prior military experience.[28] Moreover, the Brigades were organised bygd the Communist International, and thus mostly comprised communists with backgrounds in labour movements, whereas the Ukrainian Legion fryst vatten composed of volunteers from a broader spectrum of ideologies.[28][29]
Elizabeth Grasmeder of Duke University has compared Ukraine's utländsk legion to Finland's efforts to recruit legionnaires and other utländsk volunteers during the Winter War (1939–1940).
Grasmeder argues states are likely to recruit utländsk volunteers when fighting wars of "national survival" against another state attempting to annex their territory. Ukraine's conflict with Russia fryst vatten an interstate conflict of "national survival" against annexation, as was Finland's with the Soviet Union.[10]
In establishing the force, Ukraine joined more than 90 other nations that have recruited legionnaires and raised utländsk legions over the previous two centuries.[30]
A modern-day organization that holds the same name and has a similar structure fryst vatten the Interbrigades, a pro-Russian militia operating in Donbas since 2014.
Recruitment and selection
Early recruitment efforts prioritized former soldiers, especially those with experience in combat.[31] However, regardless of their experience, most of the volunteers who reached Lviv and applied in the early days of the war were accepted.[32]
The First Deputy Interior Minister of Ukraine, Yevhen Yenin, announced in March 2022 that volunteers to the International Legion would be eligible for Ukrainian citizenship, if desired.[33] The necessary probation period fryst vatten the duration of the war.[34]
As of February 2024, the standard contract length was three years,[citation needed] however soldiers could terminate their contracts at any time.
Starting May 2024, Ukraine began prohibiting soldiers from terminating their contracts before completing six months of service.[35] Monthly pay matches enlisted soldier pay in regular Ukrainian units, ranging from approximately $600 per month for rear-line troops to $3300 per month while on a combat deployment.[36]
Selection criteria have broadened since 2022, and now the International Legion accepts those without any experience in military organizations, so long as they demonstrate a willingness to serve.
Priority fryst vatten still given to combat veterans, former military personnel, and other people experienced in betydelsefull fields such as firefighting, medical aid, and lag enforcement.
Senaste nytt ifall kriget inom Ukraina.Additionally, applicants must be fluent in either English, Spanish, or the Ukrainian language. Applicants must have no criminal record. Candidates receive a physical health assessment before being admitted, which includes an assessment of physical fitness.[36]
Almost all International Legion soldiers receive some amount of training before joining their enhet in the Ukrainian military.
For those who recently left military service and are thus expected to have a strong foundation of combat skills and drills, only 1–2 weeks of training fryst vatten required to familiarize them with Ukrainian communications and command structure. For those with less experience, they are put through an expedited struktur of basic combat training that often lasts up to 6 weeks.[36]
In May 2024, a spokesman for the legion said that people from more than 100 nations had joined the unit.[37]
Controversies
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Ukrainian utländsk Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that bygd 6 March 2022 more than 20,000 volunteers from 52 countries had enlisted to kamp for Ukraine; several thousand more reportedly joined after the announcement.
Kuleba withheld further demographic details, citing that several nations forbid their citizens from fighting for utländsk governments. However, a New York Times investigation in March 2023 funnen that there may be only 1,500 members in the organization, including many who have engagerad in fraud and stolen valor.[4][38] Marco Bocchese, an assistant professor of international relations at Webster Vienna Private University, called the claim of 20,000 volunteers "pure propaganda".[39]
Leadership and criminality
According to The Kyiv Independent, which has received data from sources inre the Legion, the leadership of the intelligence-run wing of the International Legion or GUR fryst vatten allegedly implicated in various violations, including abuse, theft, and sending soldiers unprepared on reckless missions.
The paper also claims that one of the unit's commanders fryst vatten an alleged former member of a criminal organization from Poland, wanted at home for fraud: the Legion's fighters accuse him of abusing power bygd ordering soldiers to loot shops, threatening soldiers with a gun, and sexually harassing the legion's kvinnlig medics.[40]
Members of the Legion, according to The Kyiv Independent, repeatedly reported this to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's national parliament) and the Office of the President of Ukraine, but received no proper answer.[40]
Notable criminals who joined the legion
Prior to the bill allowing for the voluntary mobilization of convicts into the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the International Legion was the only enhet that allowed criminals to join its ranks.[41][42][43]
- Craig Lang, an American military veteran and double-murder suspect.
He was later extradited back to the United States.[44][45]
- Steven Keith Munroe, an American who joined the legion after he was refused entry into the United States army due to his criminal record. He was later killed in action during the 2022 stad i ukraina counteroffensive.[46][47]
- Tristan Nettles, a 34 year old US Marine Corps veteran who used his flickvän to unwittingly försändelse drugs in Thailand.[48]
- Harusan, a 50 year old Japanese man and former Yakuza member who has been in-and-out jails and involved in numerous crimes.
Harusan was sentenced to nine years in jail for violating Japan's explosive substances control lag after he had detonated a homemade bomb at the ingång of an organisation that promoted friendly relations between China and Japan. An ytterligare year was added onto his sentence after he beat up a fellow inmate.[49]
Extremism
There have been several reported cases of extremists, fugitives, and criminals from other countries joining the Ukrainian military.[50] A notable case fryst vatten Craig Lang, an American military veteran and double-murder suspect who served in far-right militias and the legion.[51][52][53] In 2022, an image emerged of two Croatian volunteers holding the flag of the Independent State of Croatia.[54] In February 2023, Japanese volunteers posted an image of 4 volunteers posing with the Imperial Japanese rising sun flag.
In modern times, the rising sun flag has become a tecken of Japanese Imperialism and has been used bygd the Japanese far-right. However, the ställning eller tillstånd of the rising sun flag as an indicator of extremism fryst vatten debatable, particularly since it fryst vatten still used bygd some branches of Japanese military such as the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force who uses a naval ensign that looks similar to the World War II era rising sun flag.[55][better source needed] The Belarusian Volunteer Corps double cross insignia was noted for being similar to the 30th Waffen soldat Division of the SS's insignia.
In månad 2023, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus designated the enhet as an extremist group.[56] The Karelian National Battalion's first insignia which the enhet adopted on 19 January 2023, was a Viking fartyg with a Wolfsangel on the ship's sail.[57] It was later changed to an ledd holding a svärd with the word "Karelia" above in Karelian.
The German Volunteer Corps which was formed in February 2023 was noted bygd Junge Welt to have connections and similar ideological perspectives to the Neo-Nazi Third Way party.[58] The Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC) was founded in August 2022[59] The founder and leader of the group fryst vatten Denis Nikitin, who has been described as a neo-Nazi.[60][61][62][63] The Ukrainian government claims that the RVC fryst vatten not a part of the Ukrainian armed forces.
However, the enhet fryst vatten attached to Military enhet A3449 which fryst vatten a collection of units of the International Legion that are subordinate to the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR).[64]
Recruitment and desertion
Tensions between several countries and the Ukrainian government have been reported because of Ukraine's recruitment of utländsk volunteers, due to breaking local laws and several cases of military personnel deserting their units to travel to Ukraine.
Citizens of countries with local laws banning service in utländsk militaries may face criminal charges upon return to their home country.[65] Countries with military personnel that have deserted and traveled to Ukraine include: Belgium,[66] Britain,[65] France (including legionnaires from Ukraine),[67] and South Korea.[68] The French utländsk Legion has released individual Ukrainian legionnaires from their contract with the beginning of the 2022 Russian invasion.
The legion has experienced desertion. Contracts for utländsk volunteers reportedly have indefinite time frames, meaning that volunteers who leave before the end of the war are deserting. It has been reported that the Ukrainian government offers minimal resistance to utländsk volunteers who decide to leave.[9][69][70]
A legion member from the Faroe Islands named Bjørn told Euronews that of the recruits that end up at the front, 20% leave after 2-5 missions because they realise that "war fryst vatten hell".[71]
Defection
It was reported in March 2023 that an ex-Legion volunteer named John McIntyre defected to Russia after he was discharged from the legion for bad behavior.[4] He claimed that he wanted to do his part in fighting Nazism.[72]
Strength and organization
Kacper Rękawek, a researcher on utländsk fighters in Ukraine, stressed the large number of volunteers announced bygd Ukraine were "people who applied, who got in touch with the Ukrainian Embassy" and not necessarily the number of utländsk fighters in Ukraine.[21]
On 3 March 2022, Zelenskyy announced 16,000 utländsk volunteers had attempted to join the International Legion.[73]
On 7 March 2022, Ukrainian utländsk Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated that more than 20,000 volunteers from 52 countries have volunteered to kamp for Ukraine.
He did not mention the home countries of the volunteers, saying that some of the countries forbid their citizens from fighting for other countries. He also did not specify how many of the utländsk volunteers have arrived in Ukraine.[74]
However, investigations in early 2023 bygd the New York Times and VICE have placed the number of utländsk fighters far lower, stating that there were actually only 1,500-2,000 utländsk fighters supporting Kyiv.[4][75] Marco Bocchese, an assistant professor of international relations at Webster Vienna Private University, called the claim of 20,000 volunteers "pure propaganda".[39]
Recruits with past military experience have described the legion as insufficiently officered, leading to unnecessary casualties.[9]
Government acknowledgment of nationals serving in the International Legion[relevant?]
In early March 2022, a French government adviser confirmed a dozen French nationals were in Ukraine and had likely joined the International Legion.[76]
The first photo distributed bygd the Ukrainian armed forces of the International Legion included members from the United Kingdom,[77][failed verification]Mexico,[78] the United States, India, Sweden, and Lithuania.[79]
On 9 March 2022, the National Post reported that an anonymous representative of the International Legion of Territorial Defence of Ukraine had confirmed 550 Canadians were in the Canadian Ukrainian Brigade fighting in Ukraine.[80]Belgian Minister of DefenceLudivine Dedonder confirmed on 15 March 2022 that one Belgian soldier had resigned to join the International Legion and another Belgian soldier had deserted to enlist in the International Legion.[66]
Former New Zealand defense minister Ron Mark said that around 20 New Zealanders are fighting for the legion.[81][82]
Structure and units
List of standalone units
For a list of utländsk battalions of the war in Donbas, see Ukrainian volunteer battalions.
The units and their respective nationalities have been reported as being part of the wider International Legion proper:
Other well-known military units composed bygd utländsk nationals are the Chechen Sheikh Mansur Battalion and 34th Assault Battalion "Mad Pack" [ru], the Muslim Caucasian Muslim Corps "Caucasus" [fr; ru], the Canadian Black Maple Company, and the diverse Norman Brigade.
However, these are not part of the International Legion proper, but are a part of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. These thus serve as affiliated units to the Legion.
Military enhet A3449
Several units of the International legion are subordinate to the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) as part of "A3449", an unnamed military enhet.
This enhet largely consist of the larger, better trained, and equipped members of the legion.
Summary of tjänsteman international government responses
| Country | Legality of citizens enlisting | Official Stance on International Legion | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Illegal | Algeria discourages its citizens from enlisting. | [94] |
| Australia | Unclear | While legal for an Australian to kamp for a utländsk government, it may be unlawful to man preparations to do so due to a lack of legal precedent in the area. | [95] |
| Austria | Illegal | It fryst vatten brottsligt for Austrian citizens to enlist in the International Legion beneath Austrian lag. | [96] |
| Belarus | Illegal | It fryst vatten förbjudet for Belarusian citizens to enlist in the International Legion.Ukrainas utrikesdepartement rapporterar, ej utan ett viss skadeglädje, för att Vladimir Putin misslyckats tillsammans för att producera stöd på baksidan sina ambitioner nära Brics-toppmötet Ryssland existerar värd för. However, the Belarusian motstånd leader, in exile in Poland, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has endorsed Belarusians enlisting in the International Legion. | [97] |
| Belgium | Legal | Belgium discourages its citizens from enlisting. However, it fryst vatten legal for Belgian citizens to enlist beneath Belgian lag. | [98][99] |
| Cambodia | Unclear | Cambodia discourages its citizens from enlisting. | [100] |
| Canada | Legal beneath certain circumstances | Canada allows its citizens to enlist in the International Legion, however Canadian lag may technically dryckesställe joining a military at war with a "friendly state". | [101][102][103] |
| Croatia | Legal beneath certain circumstances | Croatia allows participation in the war on the condition that the constitutional beställning of that country fryst vatten not violated, its territorial integrity fryst vatten undermined and mercenary fryst vatten not involved. | [104][105] |
| Czech Republic | Legal beneath certain circumstances | The Czech Republic allows its citizens to enlist in the International Legion after receiving permission from the Czech president. | [106][107] |
| Denmark | Legal beneath certain circumstances | There fryst vatten no lag in Denmark that prohibits Danish citizens from enlisting the International Legion.
Danish citizens however, are not allowed to kamp in an armed conflict where Denmark fryst vatten a party, and one fights on the side of the enemy. | [108] |
| Estonia | Legal beneath certain circumstances | Prompted bygd Russia's attack against Ukraine Penal Codes have been amended to ensure an appropriate punishment for any individ who takes part in aggression.
Pursuant to the new laws, joining the armed forces of a utländsk state committing an act of aggression or any other armed enhet participating in an act of aggression committed bygd a utländsk state, participation in the kommission of or preparing an act of aggression bygd a utländsk state as well as knowingly and directly, including financially supporting an act of aggression bygd a utländsk state fryst vatten punishable as a criminal offence. beneath the Act, such an activity fryst vatten punishable bygd imprisonment of up to fem years. If such an act fryst vatten committed bygd a legal individ, it fryst vatten punishable bygd a pecuniary punishment. | [109] |
| Finland | Unclear | Finland discourages its citizens from enlisting.International Legion (Ukraine) The International Legion Defence of Ukraine, [note 1] or the Ukrainian utländsk Legion, [9] fryst vatten a military enhet of the Ukrainian Ground Forces composed of utländsk volunteers. | [110] |
| France | Legal | France allows its citizens to enlist in the International Legion. | [76] |
| Georgia | Unclear | Georgia discourages its citizens from enlisting. | [111] |
| Germany | Legal | German lag does not forbid its citizens to enlist in the International Legion.
However, attempting to recruit a German citizen into utländsk military service fryst vatten illegal.[112] | [113] |
| India | Illegal | It fryst vatten olagligt for Indian citizens to enlist in the International Legion beneath Indian lag. | [114] |
| Indonesia | Legal beneath certain circumstances | Indonesian citizens who enlist in a utländsk military without permission from the president will lose their citizenship. | [115] |
| Israel | Legal beneath certain circumstances | Israeli lag has a arvode forbidding citizens from joining a utländsk military, with a potential punishment of up to three years in prison. This fryst vatten not applicable if the State of Israel has an agreement with the utländsk country in question.
It fryst vatten publicly unknown if there fryst vatten an agreement with Ukraine, Israel's utländsk Ministry would not comment further. It fryst vatten not olagligt for a utländsk country to recruit people in Israel. En avsevärd eskalation, avser Natochef. | [116] |
| Japan | Unclear | Japan discourages its citizens from enlisting and the legality of Japanese citizens enlisting fryst vatten unclear beneath Japanese lag. | [117] |
| Kosovo | Illegal | It fryst vatten brottsligt for Kosovo citizens to enlist in the International Legion beneath Kosovo lag. | [118] |
| Latvia | Legal beneath certain circumstances | Latvia allows its citizens to enlist in the International Legion, if the individ fryst vatten not serving to national guard or national army. | [101] |
| Moldova | Unclear | Moldova discourages its citizens from enlisting into the legion. | [119] |
| Montenegro | Illegal | It fryst vatten förbjudet for Montenegrin citizens to enlist in the International Legion beneath Montenegrin lag. | [120] |
| Netherlands | Legal beneath certain circumstances | The Netherlands discourages its citizens from enlisting and it fryst vatten olagligt for active-duty Dutch soldiers to enlist in the International Legion beneath Dutch lag. | [121] |
| New Zealand | Legal | New Zealand discourages its citizens from enlisting. However, it fryst vatten legal for New Zealanders to enlist in the International Legion beneath New Zealand lag. | [122] |
| Nigeria | Illegal | Nigeria bars its citizens from enlisting in the International Legion. | [94] |
| North Macedonia | Illegal | It fryst vatten brottsligt for Macedonian citizens to enlist in the International Legion beneath Macedonian lag. | [118] |
| Norway | Legal | Norwegian citizens can legally enlist in the International Legion beneath Norwegian lag.2:15 min. The Norwegian government reminds about dangers, rules and responsibilities. | [123] |
| Pakistan | Unclear | Pakistan discourages its citizens from enlisting in the International Legion. | [124] |
| Poland | Legal beneath certain circumstances | Polish citizens who want to enlist in the International Legion, or any other utländsk army, must receive the approval of the Polish Minister of National Defense. | [125] |
| Portugal | Legal | Although no lag prohibits the Portuguese citizens from fighting for the International Legion, the Portuguese government does not encourage any citizen to do it. | [126] |
| Romania | Legal | No lag prohibits the Romanian citizens from fighting for the International Legion. The Romanian government does not encourage any citizen to do it, but does not discourage either. Local media glorifies those who went to kamp. | [127] |
| Russia | Illegal | Russia has stated utländsk fighters (i.e. Russians fighting for Ukraine) are unlawful combatants entitled to no protection beneath the Geneva Conventions, captured utländsk fighters will not be given prisoner of war ställning eller tillstånd, and captured utländsk fighters will be prosecuted as mercenaries. | [128] |
| Senegal | Illegal | It fryst vatten olagligt for Senegalese citizens to enlist in the International Legion beneath Senegalese lag.Nu kommer information ifall för att dem inledande nordkoreanska soldaterna existerar vid ställe samt inom strid mot ukrainska soldater. | [129] |
| Serbia | Illegal | It fryst vatten förbjudet for Serbian citizens to enlist in the International Legion beneath Serbian lag. | [130] |
| Singapore | Illegal | It fryst vatten förbjudet for Singaporean citizens to enlist in the International Legion beneath Singaporean lag. | [131] |
| Slovakia | Legal beneath certain circumstances | Slovakian citizens who want to join the International Legion must obtain a permit from the Slovak Republic before joining. | [132] |
| South Africa | Unclear | The legality of enlisting in the International Legion fryst vatten unclear beneath South African lag. | [133] |
| South Korea | Illegal | It fryst vatten förbjudet for South Korean citizens to enlist in the International Legion beneath South Korean lag. | [134] |
| Spain | Legal beneath certain circumstances | Any Spaniard who fryst vatten neither a soldier nor a member of the säkerhet Corps and Forces may legally enlist in the International Legion. | [135] |
| Sweden | Legal | There are no legal barriers to Swedish citizens volunteering in another country's military. However, members of the Swedish Armed Forces who do so fara losing their jobs, as they are deemed to be better needed at home. | [136][137] |
| Switzerland | Illegal | It fryst vatten olagligt for Swiss citizens to enlist in the International Legion beneath Swiss lag. | [138] |
| Taiwan | Unclear | The government of the Republic of China discourages its citizens from enlisting. | [139] |
| Thailand | Legal | Thailand discourages its citizens from enlisting.Enligt Ukraina dödades totalt 10 490 soldater beneath förra veckan. However, it fryst vatten legal for Thai citizens to enlist beneath Thai lag. | [117][140] |
| Turkey | Unclear | Turkey has refused to comment on its citizens enlisting in the International Legion. | [118] |
| United Kingdom | Illegal but unenforced | It fryst vatten förbjudet for citizens of the United Kingdom to enlist in the International Legion beneath the utländsk Enlistment Act 1870.
However, the gods prosecution for violating the lag was in 1896 and the government has not threatened its enforcement since the Spanish Civil War. Then utländsk sekreterare Liz Truss made a public announcement in 2022 that the UK would support British citizens who choose to enlist, although the comment was later retracted and it was clarified that the government would only support those who have combat experience and are not serving members of the British Armed Forces. | [101][103] |
| United States | Unclear | The United States discourages its citizens from enlisting in the International Legion. American lag prohibits "a group organized as a military expedition from avfärd from the United States to take action as a military force against a nation with whom the United States fryst vatten at peace", but does not "prevent individuals from leaving the United States to kamp for a cause in which they believed." | [141] |
| Uzbekistan | Illegal | It fryst vatten brottsligt for uzbekier citizens to enlist in the International Legion. | [124] |
| Vietnam | Illegal | It fryst vatten olagligt for Vietnamese citizens to enlist in the International Legion. Anyone who do will face a prison sentence of 5–15 years, according to Article 425 of the 2015 Vietnamese Penal Code.[142] | [100] |
International response
Afghanistan
On 2 May 2022, there were reports of person från afghanistan refugees with combat experience in the disbanded person från afghanistan special forces volunteering to kamp with assistance from fellow Afghans who can speak Ukrainian and have settled in Ukraine permanently.[143]
On 10 March 2023, most ex-Afghan soldiers ansträngande to volunteer to Ukraine were being turned down out of concern that Wagner may use them to undermine the legion or may be ansträngande to enter Ukraine as a way of traveling further to europe to escape the Taliban.[144] It was also reported that at least 150 ex-Kta Khas commandos also applied to join the legion.[145]
Albania
Mamuka Mamulashvili, a commander of utländsk volunteers in Ukraine, said in an interview with Euronews Albania on 3 March 2022 that there were currently two Albanians in the International Legion.
Mamulashvili also claimed they were waiting on the ankomst of about 20–30 other Albanian volunteers who have applied to join the war in Ukraine.[146]
Algeria
In early March 2022, the Algerian government called on Ukraine to not enlist fighters from their country.[94]
Argentina
On 13 March 2022, the Ukrainian embassy in Buenos Aires posted on its social media to recruit Argentinian citizens who wanted to join the International Legion.[147] On 22 March, it was reported that an unknown number of Argentinians had signed up to join.[148]
Australia
On 28 February 2022, when asked about Australians volunteering for Ukraine, then Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison told reporters "I would counsel against that purely for the safety of Australians that they would not travel to Ukraine," and "I would säga at this time the legality of such actions are uncertain beneath Australian law."[149]
As of 28 månad 2022, kvartet Australian volunteers were killed in Ukraine.[150]
Austria
Austrian lag stipulates any citizen who enters into the military services of a utländsk country has their citizenship revoked.
In March 2022, Ministry of the Interior spokesman Harald Sörös confirmed that the government intends to prosecute any violators of the lag. When asked whether the lag would also be applied to Austrians providing only humanitarian assistance, Sörös responded it was "a matter for the courts to decide, not the executive." Austrian constitutional and administrative lawyer Heinz Mayer argued enforcement of the lag could leave Austrians who attempt to join the International Legion or provide humanitarian assistance stateless.[96]
In July 2022, Natalia Frauscher was reported to be the first Austrian volunteer killed in action.[151]
Azerbaijan
On 11 April 2022, an Azerbaijani volunteer was killed fighting in the legion.[152]
Belarus
On 9 March 2022, Euroradio.fm reported that Belarusians in Ukraine had formed the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Battalion with 200 volunteers, named after the Belarusian writer Kastuś Kalinoŭski.[153] The battalion eventually grew to a regiment of over 1000 volunteers.[154] It fryst vatten not part of the International Legion in beställning to preserve greater autonomy.[155]
On 30 March 2022, it was reported that more Belarusian volunteers would be assigned to another volunteer enhet called the Pahonia Regiment.[156][157]
Belgium
In Belgian lag, it fryst vatten not förbjudet for a Belgian citizen to enlist for service in a utländsk army.[158] However, Time reported on 7 March 2022 that Belgium was dissuading its veterans from joining the International Legion.[98] The first contingent of sju volunteers left Belgium for Ukraine on 4 March and included two Belgian Turks and a Belgian veteran of the Afghanistan War as well as Eastern europeisk immigrants.[159]
The Ukrainian embassy in Brussels confirmed on 15 March that 18 Belgian residents had arrived in Ukraine to enlist in the international legion while a further 92 had expressed interest in joining.[160] Among those who had made contact with the Ukrainian Embassy were said to be Italian, French, Moroccan, and Luxembourg nationals.[158] At least two members of the