Ukraine launches foreign fighter recruitment website

Ukraine is going to launch a website to help foreigners enlist with its "International Defense Legion of Ukraine."

 Ukrainian soldiers walk at Kyiv central train station (photo credit: UMIT BEKTAS/REUTERS)
Ukrainian soldiers walk at Kyiv central train station
(photo credit: UMIT BEKTAS/REUTERS)

A website to guide foreign fighters to enlist with the International Defense Legion of Ukraine was launched on Saturday night by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. 

The enlistment website includes a step-by-step guide on how to join the legion, including specific contact information for individual countries. Israel was one of the countries included with detailed contact details. 

Volunteers were instructed to contact the Ukrainian embassy in their country for an interview. After filling out documents, they would get instructions on how to travel to Ukraine and join operational units.

Read more on the Russia-Ukraine War:

"President Zelensky has created the International Legion of Ukraine, consisting of foreign citizens wishing to join the resistance against the Russian occupants and fight for global security," said the website. "Join the Legion and help us defend Ukraine, Europe and the whole world!"

The website echoed instructions posted on social media by the Ukrainian armed forces on Thursday evening.
 Ukrainian servicemen take positions at the military airbase Vasylkiv in the Kyiv region, Ukraine (credit: Maksim Levin/Reuters)
Ukrainian servicemen take positions at the military airbase Vasylkiv in the Kyiv region, Ukraine (credit: Maksim Levin/Reuters)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed what he claimed amounted to 16,000 foreign volunteers on Thursday.  
The same day, Russia warned foreign fighters that they would not be treated as lawful combatants. 
"I wish to make an official statement that none of the mercenaries the West is sending to Ukraine to fight for the nationalist regime in Kyiv can be considered as combatants in accordance with international humanitarian law or enjoy the status of prisoners of war," Konashenkov said on Thursday, according to Russian state media outlet TASS. "At best, they can expect to be prosecuted as criminals. We are urging all foreign citizens who may have plans to go and fight for Kyiv’s nationalist regime to think a dozen times before getting on the way."

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The UK, Latvia, and the Canadian government have all stated that they will allow the enlistment of citizens to the legion.