The Ukrainian Legion has started recruiting new volunteers in the Polish city of Lublin as it officially launched its first enlistment center abroad, Ukraine's Defense Ministry announced on Oct. 3.
The legion was unveiled in July as a volunteer military unit made up of Ukrainian men living in Poland and trained by the Polish Armed Forces.
The first recruitment center in Lublin was launched at the Ukrainian consulate. Over a dozen officers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces will provide consultations and assistance during the registration.
The center is equipped to conduct medical examinations and issue certificates of service eligibility, Deputy Defense Minister Ivan Havryliuk said.
The volunteers will be receive instruction at a training ground set up by the Polish side after signing a contract. The introductory training course lasts 35 days.
"Later, the soldiers can be sent to one of the European NATO bases for more months to improve their skills," Havryliuk said, adding that Ukraine has provided uniforms and logistical support, while Polish partners have donated weapons and equipment.
Recruitment takes place through applications on the official website of the Ukrainian Legion or through consulates and embassies.
During the first days of the recruitment center's opening in Lublin, 138 applications for interviews were received through the website and another 58 through consular offices, according to the Defense Ministry.
Once the applications are processed, the recruitment center staff contacts the candidates for a preliminary interview, clarification of data, and position assignment.
Candidates with Ukrainian passports are invited to the recruiting center for an interview with the commander. During this interview, the position is determined, documents are checked, and a referral for a medical examination is issued.
If the medical examination is successful, the volunteer will receive a date to sign the contract, usually two weeks after all the checks are completed.
The legion was announced as part of the security agreement signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on July 8.
"Several thousand" people showed interest in joining the legion as of July 11, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said at the time. Contrary to his words, Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Oct. 2 that the number of Ukrainians willing to join the Ukrainian Legion in Poland has been "too small."
According to Kosiniak-Kamysz, Poland has trained about 20,000 Ukrainian military personnel who are now fighting at the front line in Ukraine.
Dinara Khalilova
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