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Ukraine Recruits 600 Foreign Figthers Monthly, Combatants Now From 75 Countries
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Volunteers from 75 countries have joined units of Ukraine’s Ground Forces, Kostiantyn Milevskyi, Deputy Head of the Department for Coordination of Foreign Military Service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said in an interview with “Donbas Realii, “a project of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Around 600 foreign nationals sign contracts with Ukraine’s Ground Forces units each month, Milevskyi said.
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“It’s a bit colder now. People from warmer countries are not coming as much. We can subtract up to 50 people from those 600. When it gets warmer, there will be slightly more. But we’re talking about an average figure,” the officer said.
Overall, more than 10,000 foreign volunteers have served or are currently serving in Ground Forces units at various times.
“We are not trying to recruit more people into the Armed Forces than we can properly support. What does support mean? It’s training, combat coordination, providing weapons and uniforms. Of course, we could increase the number to a hypothetical thousand, one and a half thousand, or even ten thousand. But if there is no one to work with these people, there will be no result,” Milevskyi explained.
Foreign nationals are also serving in units of the Main Intelligence Directorate and the National Guard. Within Ukraine’s Defense Forces, they formally hold the same rights and responsibilities as Ukrainian citizens. The main distinction is that they are allowed to terminate their contracts voluntarily after six months of service.
Speaking to hromadske in August 2025, Milevskyi noted that foreign enlistment has risen sharply since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. In 2022, only 100 to 150 foreign nationals were joining each month, compared with around 600 now.
“We can say that the percentage of foreign nationals in the Armed Forces of Ukraine has increased. This has been influenced by the launch of our Foreign Recruitment Center,” Milevskyi said, adding that the Ukrainian government now covers travel costs for incoming international volunteers.
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According to hromadske, more than 8,000 foreign citizens have joined Ukraine’s Ground Forces, and the total number serving across all branches is likely at least twice that figure.
For security reasons, the military does not disclose detailed data on countries of origin. However, Milevskyi confirmed that many volunteers have arrived from Colombia, with several units composed of Colombian nationals.
Earlier, the Ukrainian government implemented a streamlined process for issuing temporary residence permits to foreign citizens who assist the country’s defense forces in resisting Russian aggression, as well as to volunteers contributing in other support roles.
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