Ukraine has extradited a German citizen who fought in Ukraine's Defense Forces and is suspected of rape and other crimes, the BBC and Suspilne reported on March 17, citing sources in the Prosecutor General's Office.
Maria Zaitseva joined the Ukrainian army after the start of Russia's full-scale war and fought with the 2nd International Legion Battalion.
Platonov was fighting in the areas near the village of Novoiehorivka in the largely Russian-occupied Luhansk Oblast as part of the Ukrainian military's International Legion, composed of mostly foreign volunteers who came to fight, according to the Latvian Armed Forces.
President Volodymyr Zelensky formally signed a bill on Oct. 25 allowing foreign volunteers fighting in Ukraine's International Legion to serve as officers.
Until now, volunteers could оnly fight as privates or sergeants.
Almost immediately after a reported second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, reports emerged of the suspect’s apparent support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Text messages shared with the Kyiv Independent and conversations with other foreigners living and working in Ukraine paint a picture, however, of
Russian authorities detained two Colombian nationals who fought for Ukraine, Russia's Security Service (FSB) said on Aug. 30. The two Colombian men were extradited from Venezuela after being detained by Venezuelan authorities during a layover in Caracas, on-route back home to Colombia.
Editor’s Note: This is the third part of the Kyiv Independent’s investigation into the International Legion – a military formation created for foreign fighters defending Ukraine. Published in August 2022, the first part revealed leadership misconduct in the military-intelligence-led wing of the Legion. The second part, published in November
TOP FINDINGS: * An apparent Russian state-aligned group is targeting Ukraine’s International Legion in a disinformation campaign * The Kyiv Independent obtained and analyzed exclusive video that shows the group used doctored footage to pose as the Ukrainian ex-president on a Zoom call that took place in early January * Legion members
KYIV – At first, everything about the small, solemn gathering in the grounds of Kyiv’s St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery had all the signs of a traditional Ukrainian military funeral. A guard of soldiers, a Ukrainian flag held over the coffin, the rolling verse of Orthodox prayers, the national anthem,
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