Foreign fighters in the Russo-Ukrainian War
This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. (November 2023) |
The
Background
The
War in the Donbas
The foreign fighter movement in 2014 was largely short-lived, with researcher Kacper Rekawek writing, "fighters arrived throughout the summer of 2014, and most of them were gone from Ukraine at some point in 2015, although some returned later, with a small group settling in Ukraine permanently."[3] By the end of 2015, Rekawek notes, "both sides took steps to professionalise their forces and incorporate the bottom-up organised volunteer battalions into e.g. the Ukrainian National Guard or, in the case of the 'separatists,' into the 'army corps.' This effectively meant an end to foreign fighter recruitment for this conflict and very few (new) foreigners joined either side after the end of 2015."[3]
An analysis of foreign fighters by Arkadiusz Legieć, a Senior Analyst at the Polish Institute of International Affairs, estimated that about 17,241 foreign fighters fought in Ukraine between 2014 and 2019. 3,879 of those foreign fighters supported Ukraine and joined foreign volunteer battalions. The largest group of foreign fighters in Ukraine was approximately 3,000
Russian invasion of Ukraine
The launch of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 caused a significant increase in the amount of foreign fighters in the conflict.[
Russian president Vladimir Putin publicly welcomed fighters from abroad to join his forces.[9] Most foreigners arriving to fight for Russia are enlisted in the Prizrak Brigade.
Russian side
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Post-Soviet countries
A significant number of foreign fighters from the former Soviet Union have fought in Russo-Ukrainian War for the pro-Russian side. These have included fighters from Armenia,[10] Belarus,[11] Kazakhstan,[12] Kyrgyzstan,[13][14] and Latvia,[15] as well as from pro-Russian breakaway regions such as Abkhazia,[16] South Ossetia[17][18] and Transnistria.[19] Some have fought as volunteers due to being members of Russian diaspora or ideological reasons, while others are mercenaries allegedly hired by the Russian government.
Russian Federation
Prior to its open involvement in 2022, especially during the first peak of the war in Donbas between 2014 and 2015, Russia had previously tried to deny any formal intervention in Ukraine and portrayed Russian forces in the country as either part of local forces[20] or Russian citizens voluntarily fighting in the country.[21][22] These units have been referred as "little green men" by Western and Ukrainian media and as "polite people" by Russian media.[23] The Russian government-supported private military company Wagner Group, largely composed of former Soviet, Eastern European and Syrian soldiers, is deployed in Ukraine to secure Russian interests[vague] while maintaining the deniability of formal Russian involvement.[24]
Outside of Russian forces which have been described as volunteers or unrelated to the Russian government to maintain deniability, various Russian individuals and groups have joined
Fighters from other countries
Most foreign fighters from countries outside the former Soviet Union are from Europe. According to a report by Polish security expert Kacper Rękawek for the Polish Institute of International Affairs published in 2015, around a hundred Germans, a hundred Serbs, and thirty Hungarians are fighting for pro-Russian forces in Donbas.[32]
Nepali and Indian foreign fighters
In December 2023, the government of Nepal revealed that six of its citizens had been killed in Ukraine fighting for Russian forces and urged Russia to stop recruiting young men from the country to fight in its army. Nepal's ambassador to Russia claimed around 150-200 Nepali nationals have been fighting for Russia.[33] In early January 2024, Nepal stopped issuing permits for its citizens to work in Russia or Ukraine after 10 of its citizens were killed fighting in Russia's army.[34] The number of Nepalis killed in Ukraine is officially 12 but could be as high as 19.[35]
In addition, Nepali foreign minister Narayan Prakash Saud said that as of December 2023, four Nepali men had been taken prisoner by the Ukrainian army, and about 100 were missing or injured.[36][37]
A number of Indian nationals were reportedly 'duped' into fighting in Russia's army after being promised other jobs within Russia but being sent to the front lines instead. The identities of at least two Indian nationals have been confirmed killed in Ukraine.[38][39] [40]
Serbian foreign fighters
A significant amount of
Historical links with Russia, pan-Slavism and religious affinity have been regarded as a major factor in Serbs joining the pro-Russian forces, although many are mercenaries.[25] Many of the fighters identify as Chetniks.[43] In January 2024, Serbian DPR fighter Dejan Berich spoke of abuse of Serbian recruits with Russian paratroopers referring to the Serbs as ″gypsies″ and sending them on assaults with two or three magazines of ammunition, ordering them to obtain weapons in the battlefield.[44]
Far-left volunteers
Left-wing volunteers have gone to fight for the pro-Russian forces, accusing the Ukrainian government of being a "fascist state" and seeking to engage in an "anti-fascist struggle". However, these leftist volunteers have co-operated with far-right groups in Donbas.[45] Among the initial volunteers were members of the Communist Party of Ukraine, as well as some members of trade unions and labor organizations opposed to the new government that emerged after the Euromaidan Ukrainian Revolution.[46][47][48][49][50][51]
A small number of Spanish socialists travelled to Ukraine to fight for the separatists, with some explaining they were "repaying the favour" to Russia for the USSR's support to Republicans during the Spanish Civil War.[25][52] They were also enlisting in solidarity with those who died in the Unions House fire.[53][54] Spanish fighters established the 'Carlos Palomino International Brigade', which fought under the flag of the Second Spanish Republic. In 2015, it reportedly had less than ten members.[55] Other examples include the 'DKO' (Volunteer Communist Unit) and the Interunit, both composed of foreign communist volunteers.[56][57]
Latvian communist of Ugandan and Russian descent Beness Aijo was arrested in Donetsk in 2014 for fighting with separatist forces and the National Bolshevik Interbrigades.[58][59] A female member of the Israeli Communist Party had also reportedly gone to fight for the separatists in 2015.[60]
Far-right volunteers
Far-right foreign fighters from Europe and to a lesser extent
One notable far-right group is the French organisation Continental Unity, which has been accused of recruiting far-right extremists across Europe to come and fight in Donbas.
Finnish far-right and neo-Nazi groups have been recruited for the Donbas war by Johan Bäckman and Janus Putkonen who are aligned with the local pro-Russian party.[63][64][65][66]
The Ukrainian conflict has shattered the Italian far right and while some
Middle Eastern and African volunteers and mercenaries
Following its 2022 offensive, US and Ukrainian intelligence have alleged that Russia has sought to hire and already deployed fighters from forces it supports in places such as
The Iran-aligned Lebanese political party Hezbollah denied sending fighters to Ukraine after the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces accused some of their members of being among 1,000 Syrian mercenaries allegedly hired to fight in Ukraine.[74]
Turkish media and Russian-American journalist Vera Mironova alleged that members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party and the People's Defense Units (both affiliated with the Kurdistan Communities Union) were fighting as mercenaries for Russian forces.[75]
On 4 October, the
In January 2023, the
It was widely reported in October 2022 that the Wagner Group had attempted to recruit former members of the American-trained Afghan National Army Commando Corps which became defunct after the victory of the Taliban insurgency in August 2021.[78][79][80]
It was reported in February 2024 that "at least a dozen" Indian nationals had been "duped" into serving in the Russian military in Ukraine after being engaged as labour migrants.[81]
Foreign expatriates in Russia
A number of African students or former students are known to have been recruited for military service on the Russian side.
A number of other African former students are known to have been recruited by the Wagner Group after receiving criminal convictions while in Russia. Lemekani Nathan Nyirenda, a Zambian former student at the
Ukrainian side
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Post-Soviet countries
Similarly to their opponents, many foreign fighters from the former Soviet Union have fought in the Russo-Ukrainian War for the Ukrainian side. These have included fighters from Armenia,[86] Azerbaijan,[86] the Baltic states,[25] Belarus[11] and Georgia.[87][88] Exiled Chechens opposed to Ramzan Kadyrov[25] and some Russian dissidents[25][89] have also taken up arms on behalf of the Ukrainians.
Georgia
Georgians have been participating in the conflict on the side of Ukraine, since 2014. Large formations such as the Georgian Legion that consist of 1,000 fighters, are mostly made up of Georgian, but also various other nationalities, including British.[90]
Unofficialy, since the launch of Russia's invasion in 2022, an estimated 1.500 Georgians are fighting for Ukraine in various Ukrainian Armed Forces units and the International Legion.[91]
Belarus
Already during the
In spring 2022, it was reported that more than 200 Belarusian citizens have joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine to defend Ukraine from the Russian invasion, with another 300 volunteers from Belarus came through Poland.[92][93] In July 2023, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that around 450 Belarusians fight for Ukraine.[94]
In the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Belarusians have created a separate
Another Belarusian volunteer battalion fighting for Ukraine, a part of the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Battalion, was known as the Pahonia Regiment.[98][99] It ceased to exist in 2023.[94]
Other Belarusian units include the Belarusian Volunteer Corps which includes the Terror Battalion. There are also around 20 Belarusians fighting in the Second International Legion.[94]
In June 2023,
Several other Belarusians are fighting in different Ukrainian military formations as well.[102][94]
Fighters from other countries
Ajnad al-Kavkaz, a group of Chechen foreign fighters which fights on the side of the Syrian opposition, which is fighting the Russian government in the Syrian civil war, deployed some fighters to fight for the Ukrainian side. Like other Chechen foreign fighter groups across the world, they are motivated by anti-Russian sentiment stemming from the Chechnyan Conflict.[103]
A small number of South Koreans have also volunteered for Ukraine, although they were legally prohibited from doing so, due to concerns that it could cause diplomatic issues for South Korea. Four South Koreans had been convicted for serving in Ukraine by 2023.[104]
International Legion
Three days after the beginning of the Russian invasion in 2022, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy announced the establishment of the International Legion.[4]
List of notable expatriate units in Ukraine
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2022) |
Pro-Russian units
- Interbrigades
- Pavel Sudoplatov Battalion
- Prizrak Brigade (Unofficially, attracts large amounts of foreign volunteers[105][106])
- Vostok Brigade
Pro-Ukrainian units
- Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion
- Freedom of Russia Legion
- Georgian National Legion
- International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine
- Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment
- Misanthropic Division
- Sheikh Mansur Battalion
- Turan Battalion
- Ajnad al-Kavkaz
- Norman Brigade
- Pahonia Regiment
- Russian Volunteer Corps
- Ichkerian Special Purpose Battalion
- Tactical group "Belarus"
- Russian Insurgent Army
Notable people
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2022) |
- Beness Aijo, Latvian Nazbol of Russian and Ugandan descent who was arrested and deported from Ukraine for fighting with the Interbrigades in 2014. He later returned to Ukraine to fight for the Donetsk People's Republic.
- Dejan Berić, Serbian sniper in the armed forces of the DNR.
- Trevor Cadieu, a three star Canadian general, possibly captured in June 2022.
- Sámi member of the Sámi Parliament of Norway(2017–2021) who joined the Ukrainian International Legion.
- Aleko Elisashvili, Georgian parliamentarian who joined the Ukrainian International Legion.
- Mamuka Mamulashvili, Georgian paramilitary leader and former soldier who leads the Georgian National Legion.
- Isa Munayev, Chechen rebel who led the Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion before his death at the Battle of Debaltseve in 2015.
- Senior Chief Petty Officerwho joined the Ukrainian International Legion.
- Shaun Pinner, former British soldier who joined the Ukrainian Army as a volunteer and was captured and sentenced to death by the authorities of the Donetsk People's Republic.
- Tseng Sheng-guang, Taiwanese indigenous veteran who volunteered in the Ukrainian International Legion and the Carpathian Sich Battalion, was the first East Asian soldier killed in action.[107][108]
- Pavel Shurmei, Belarusian Olympic rower who joined the pro-Ukrainian Belarusian Kalinoŭski Regiment.
- Aliaksiej Skoblia, Belarusian dissident who defected to Ukraine in 2015 and currently leads the Kalinoŭski Regiment.
- Yulia Tolopa, Russian-born woman fighting on the side of Ukraine from 2014-2019
- Russell Bentley, a former American soldier and communist who fought with Russian separatists in 2014 and returned in 2022 with the expressd intention of helping Russian forces.[109][110]
- Rafi Jaffar, Son of an
See also
- International Legion (Ukraine)
- Ukrainian volunteer battalions
- Foreign fighters in the Syrian Civil War and War in Iraq
Bibliography
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Notes
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