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Ukraine's parliament passes bill allowing foreigners to serve as officers in International Legion

by The Kyiv Independent news desk October 10, 2024 1:00 PM 2 min read

The facade of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, in Kyiv, Ukraine on Aug. 23, 2023. Ukraine celebrates National Flag Day on Aug. 23 and its 1991 declaration of independence from the Soviet Union on Aug. 24. (Andrii Nesterenko/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

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The parliament adopted amendments to a law that would allow foreign volunteers fighting in Ukraine's International Legion to serve as officers, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said on his Telegram channel on Oct. 10.

Until now, volunteers could оnly fight as privates or sergeants.

"The main idea is to allow foreigners to be recruited not only as soldiers and sergeants but also as officers," lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko said earlier on his Telegram channel.

Ukraine's International Legion was launched at the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, attracting foreigners who volunteered to defend Ukraine.

Citizens from over 50 countries have joined the unit since the start of the full-scale invasion, including military veterans from the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Europe, and beyond, Ukraine's military intelligence said.

The Legion is comprised of two units, one under the jurisdiction of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the other subordinated to the military intelligence agency (HUR).

Initially lauded as a PR success, soon it was marred with scandals and stories about misconduct.

The Kyiv Independent's investigation from 2022 revealed leadership misconduct in the unit, both in the parts led by military intelligence and those overseen by the Armed Forces.

Recently, Poland opened a program to attract Ukrainians living in Poland to be trained by the Polish Forces. The formation of the Ukrainian Legion in Poland faced delays due to a low turnout of applicants.

Author: The Kyiv Independent news desk

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