Ukrainian National Guard creates recruitment center for foreign volunteers, Ukrainian Prime Minister announces

The Ukrainian National Guard has launched a centralized recruitment center which aims to boost foreign recruitment and aid foreign volunteers that enlist in the Ukrainian National Guard, Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi announced on Sept. 18.

"The Center will coordinate the recruitment of foreign volunteers for contract service and will accompany them at all stages: from interviews and checks to training," Koretskyi said in a statement on social media.

"The candidate's path to service should be as fast as possible. Combat units should receive the necessary reinforcements more quickly," he continued.

The Ukrainian National Guard is under the jurisdiction of Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs, unlike regular military forces, but includes some of Ukraine's most effective military units, such as 1st Azov Corps and 2nd Khartiia Corps.

Ukraine is increasingly turning to the recruitment of foreign volunteers to replace losses and to supplement domestic manpower reserves. "Our goal is to fill up to 30 to 50% of assault and infantry positions with foreigners," former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said in June.

"Recruiting foreign volunteers to the Defense Forces is one of the state's priorities. The task is to scale this work and attract more people to the Ukrainian army who are ready to defend our state together with Ukrainians," Koretskyi said.

Ukraine's government approved a draft law that aims to give foreign and stateless nationals who served in the Ukrainian military more time to formalize their residency status after the end of their contract, Koretskyi announced on Aug. 28 on Telegram.