Ukraine Plans to Fill Up to 50% of Assault Infantry Positions With Foreign Recruits

Ukraine plans to fill up to 30–50% of assault and infantry positions with foreign recruits as part of a sweeping change to how it staffs its combat units.

The Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, outlined the initiative in a statement posted to Telegram on June 12.

Under the plan, private recruiting firms will carry out the recruitment, screening, and selection of candidates and deliver them to Ukraine, receiving a payment for each arrival who joins the military. The commander framed the measure as a way to reinforce front-line units while reducing losses among Ukrainian personnel.

"We are opening the market for the recruitment of foreigners to strengthen combat units and preserve the lives of Ukrainian troops," he wrote. "Our goal is to fill up to 30–50% of assault and infantry positions with foreigners."

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He described the recruitment drive as the first stage of what he called a large-scale transformation, followed by a comprehensive overhaul of Ukraine's recruitment and mobilization processes.

"We are building an army with clear rules and respect for the soldier. Human life is the greatest value," he added, emphasizing that preserving the lives of troops on the front line remained the central aim.

Statistics on foreign recruitment into Ukraine's Defense Forces remain incomplete, as Kyiv does not publish a full registry of foreign servicemembers for security reasons. The available figures break down as follows:

• 2022—after the International Legion was established, Ukraine reported more than 20,000 applications from 52 countries, though that figure reflected expressions of interest and registrations rather than those who actually arrived, passed screening, and joined units;

• 2023–2024—the active foreign core within the International Legion was estimated at roughly 1,500 to 2,000 people;

• 2023–2024—the broader count of foreigners serving in pro-Ukrainian military structures may have reached around 3,000 to 4,000;

• 2026—a broader estimate covering all defense structures, including active servicemembers and veterans, reached approximately 20,000 people.

The opening to foreign recruits forms one element of Ukraine's first comprehensive overhaul of its armed forces, a package that has paired changes to recruitment with higher pay, fixed-term contracts, and clearer terms of service.

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