[79], Several members of the Kosovar diaspora in Switzerland reportedly contacted the embassy in Bern in early March 2022 to join the International Legion. The foreign minister of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, said on February 27, via Twitter: "Foreigners willing to defend Ukraine and world order as part of the International Legion of Territorial Defense . [128][failed verification], On September 25, 2022, Bulgarian National Assembly candidate Ivan Kalchev has volunteered to participate with the legion in the Ukrainian counteroffensive. [28], 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. [23], Other commentators have criticized this comparison. [170], Oz Katerji, a freelance war correspondent based in Kyiv, tweeted on 1 March that "a group of Kurds have joined the Ukrainian foreign legion" to fight against Russia. However, it is legal for New Zealanders to enlist in the International Legion under New Zealand law. [88], On 3 March, Senegal's foreign ministry condemned a social media post by the country's Ukrainian embassy calling for volunteers as illegal under Senegalese law. [35], The first photo distributed by the Ukrainian armed forces of the International Legion included members from the United Kingdom,[36][failed verification] Mexico, the United States, India, Sweden, and Lithuania. Some volunteers cited Ukraine's quickness to recognize Croatia's independence in 1991 as a causus belli to join Ukraine. [176], Rory Mason was the first Irish volunteer killed in the Kharkiv region in late September or early October 2022. 1:10 p.m. EST 12:40 p.m. EST. It is illegal for Vietnamese citizens to enlist in the International Legion. Andr Hack Bahi was killed on June 4 while helping fellow volunteers escape during fighting in the Luhansk region. There are no legal barriers to Swedish citizens volunteering in another country's military. Hundreds of American, [] Il padre: "Mio figlio eroe di guerra", "Primul japonez ucis in lupta pe frontul din Ucraina. [131] A second formation of Canadian and British volunteers was formed under the name Norman Brigade. fightforua.org", "Exclusive: So many Canadian fighters in Ukraine, they have their own battalion, source says", "Twee Belgische militairen zijn naar Oekrane getrokken om mee te vechten tegen Rusland", "Small number of New Zealand personnel fighting in Ukraine - former defence minister", "Kiwis 'could join Ukraine revenge mission', "Dy shqiptar po luftojn n Ukrain, thot komandanti i Legjionit t Vullnetarve t Huaj", "Incompetence or the realities of war? Italian law does not forbid enlistment in a foreign army, although there are provisions banning the organisation of said enlistment, as well as mercenaries. [212], On August 25, 2022, Dominic Abelen was reported as the first New Zealand volunteer to be killed in action in the legion, who joined while on leave from the New Zealand military. "[189], As of 2 March 2022, 70 Japanese men have applied to be volunteers of the volunteer foreign legion. Norwegian citizens can legally enlist in the International Legion under Norwegian law. [258], Liz Truss, then Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom said "the people of Ukraine are fighting for freedom and democracy, not just for Ukraine but also for the whole of Europe because that is what President Vladimir Putin is challenging. Late last month, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy created "The International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine," as a global appeal for foreigners to come to the aid of his country. Ukraine must feel good that so many people came from all over the world to fight with them. Japan discourages its citizens from enlisting and the legality of Japanese citizens enlisting is unclear under Japanese law. 32. How to join the International Battalion. The "International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine" was launched by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has been relentless in his efforts to keep his sovereign nation out of Russian President . [10], Some foreign volunteers came to Ukraine much earlier, in 2014, to join the fight against the pro-Russian separatists as members of Ukrainian volunteer battalions that have been created after the start of the War in the Donbas. 7 steps. ", "Guerre en Ukraine: est-ce que des Belges peuvent aller combattre? American law prohibits "a group organized as a military expedition from departing from the United States to take action as a military force against a nation with whom the United States is at peace", but does not "prevent individuals from leaving the United States to fight for a cause in which they believed.". It is extremely dangerous." [278], The first photo distributed by Ukraine of the International Legion reportedly showed American volunteers. [250], As of 3 July, around 10 Taiwanese nationals were recruited to the legion. [100], On 18 March 2022, Ukrainian charg d'affaires Oleksandr Lysak spoke to Thai-based reporters in Bangkok and told them that the Ukrainian military has not recruited any Thais to work in the legion. The Ukraine Army General Staff (AGS) Monday situation estimate made no mention of the AFU assaults to the north of Bakhmut, only acknowledging heavy Russian artillery fire in that sector. Georgia discourages its citizens from enlisting. [79], Turkish news reports have confirmed some Turkish citizens and members of the Turkish diaspora had attempted to join the International legion. 25 to 30 supported Ukraine and 25 to 30 supported the Donbas separatists. [143][144], The Croatian military envoy to Moscow eljko Akrap was summoned to the Russian Defense Ministry on 2 March 2022 and 3 March 2022 over allegations that 200 Croatian volunteers had joined the Ukrainian army. Most were veterans of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), and were primarily of Ukrainian, Russian, or other former USSR roots, but not exclusively so, with recruits of Druze Israeli and American-Israeli backgrounds also noted. Ukraine's conflict with Russia is an interstate conflict of "national survival" against annexation, as was Finland's with the Soviet Union. Volunteer fighters arrive in Ukraine. Indian domestic law clearly bars foreign fighters under Chapter VI, Section 121-130 of the Indian Penal Code. [202], The first photo distributed by Ukraine of the International Legion reportedly showed Mexican volunteers. Together we defeated Hitler, and we will defeat Putin, too. [89], It was reported that 36 Senegalese nationals attempted to volunteer at the Ukrainian embassy in Dakar. [184], On March 2, 2022, the Ukraine Consulate in Milan posted on Facebook inviting Italians to join the International Legion, but the post was later deleted. However, it is illegal for Slovakian citizens to join a foreign army without a permit from the Slovakian government. The ministry is highly limited in its ability to assist Finns in the war zone," ministry representatives told Yle in an email. International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine. [227], The Republic of Korea Marine Corps reported on 22 March 2022 that a Marine from the 1st Marine Division deserted from his unit and traveled to Ukraine to fight with the Legion. The law, however, has only been used against Japanese nationals who were arrested for plans to work under ISIL. [30], A British volunteer said that the contract required to join the International Legion limits pay to 7,000 a month (US$230) and extends for the duration of the war, although some volunteers were allowed to leave after signing. France allows its citizens to enlist in the International Legion. [54], Very shortly after the appeal for volunteers several hundreds of Swedish military volunteers enlisted in the International Legion for Ukraine, according to the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet. [24] Moreover, the Brigades were organised by the Communist International, and thus mostly comprised communists with backgrounds in labour movements, whereas the Ukrainian Legion is composed of volunteers from a broader spectrum of ideologies. NATO has been sharing intelligence with the Ukrainian government. On 1 March, a new batch of volunteers was to fly to Ukraine but the Georgian government canceled their flight. By this date, nine had returned home and two had apparently been killed in action. In Kyiv, the 130th Territorial Defense Battalion is active. He also did not specify how many of the foreign volunteers have arrived in Ukraine. The announcement was made on Twitter by his acquaintance. German law does not forbid its citizens to enlist in the International Legion. [175], Brendan Murphy, an Irish businessman fleeing Ukraine stated in an interview published 2 March 2022 that Irish people had already arrived in the country to fight with the International Legion. [44], In early March 2022, the Algerian government called on Ukraine to not enlist fighters from their country. this stipulated that their pay would be . [31][32], It has been reported that initial training and selection of volunteers had led to "uneven" performance and that the initial intake had already been dismissed by the Ukrainian authorities, with one anonymous Ukrainian general stating "we should only take experienced combat veterans that is the lesson that we are learning the others don't know what they are getting themselves into and when they find out, they want to go home". "Foreigners willing to defend Ukraine and world order as part of the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine, I invite you to contact foreign diplomatic missions of . [37], In late February 2022, The Star reported that two Malaysians joined the Territorial Defense Army in Kyiv. Four more soldiers were wounded. If you wish to join them you can contact Ukrainian embassies and tell them you want to fight. [142], Prior to the formation of International Legion, Balkan Insight reported that 2030 Croatians joined the Ukrainian Azov Battalion to fight in the War in the Donbas in 20142015. [362], 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 and the Office of the President of Ukraine, but received no proper answer.[362]. Nigeria bars its citizens from enlisting in the International Legion. And security of "sources and methods" is always a concern. Kuleba withheld further demographic details, because several nations forbid their citizens from fighting for foreign governments. [298][299], According to The Kyiv Independent, which has received informations from sources inside the Legion, the leadership of the intelligence-run wing of the International Legion is allegedly implicated in various violations, including abuse, theft, and sending soldiers unprepared on reckless missions. , International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine, people of Ukrainian descent living in Brazil, second-largest population of the Ukrainian diaspora, Chilean national police force(Carabiniers of Chile), protesting against the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, primarily of Ukrainian, Russian, or other former USSR roots, Department of International Relations and Cooperation, diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Taiwan, Russian missiles struck Yavoriv military base, Foreign fighters in the Russo-Ukrainian War, "Ukraine says 20,000 volunteers from 52 countries sign up to fight", "Ukraine crisis: 20,000 foreign volunteers in Ukraine to fight Russians, says foreign minister", "Returning Soldiers Reveal the Dark Side of Life in the Ukrainian Foreign Legion", "Lessons from Finland for Ukraine and its Foreign Legion", "Leaning on Legionnaires: Why Modern States Recruit Foreign Soldiers", "Ukraine war: Meet the Georgian Legion joining the fight against Russia's invasion", "Liz Truss backs Brits who want to fight Russia in Ukraine's 'international legion', "Ukraine's Foreign Legion Is Ready for Battle", "Ukraine creates foreign legion as volunteers from abroad join the fight", "Foreign Fighters Are Rushing to Join Ukraine's New International Battalion", "Ukraine's Foreign Legion: 12 important points", "Foreign fighters struggle for legal status in Ukraine", "Georgian volunteers in Ukraine war quit military unit after 'provocations', "First pictures of the Batallion n.a.