Ukraine Says Nearly 16,000 Foreign Volunteers from 72 Countries Serving in Military
According to the Ukrainian news agency Interfax-Ukraine, military ombudsman Olha Reshetylova said almost 40% of the foreign volunteers come from Latin American countries.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Ukraine's armed forces currently include nearly 16,000 foreign volunteers from 72 countries, a military official said on Thursday, highlighting Kyiv's continued efforts to recruit fighters from abroad as the war with Russia continues.
According to the Ukrainian news agency Interfax-Ukraine, military ombudsman Olha Reshetylova said almost 40% of the foreign volunteers come from Latin American countries.
The announcement comes as Ukraine seeks to bolster its military ranks more than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously said the country's armed forces comprise around 880,000 personnel.
In June, then-Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced plans to increase the proportion of foreign recruits in Ukraine's assault and infantry units to as much as 50%.
To attract volunteers from overseas, Kyiv is offering an average monthly salary of about $6,700, according to Ukrainian officials.
Ukraine established the International Legion shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, allowing foreign nationals to join its military as volunteers. Foreign fighters are also known to be serving alongside Russian forces in the conflict.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, triggering Europe's largest military conflict since World War II. The war has resulted in hundreds of thousands of military casualties on both sides, widespread destruction across Ukraine, and the displacement of millions of people.
Ukrainian forces, backed by Western military and financial support, have resisted Russian advances and regained territory in several counteroffensives, while Russia continues to occupy parts of eastern and southern Ukraine. Despite multiple diplomatic efforts, the conflict remains unresolved, with fighting continuing along an extended frontline and both sides regularly carrying out missile, drone, and artillery strikes.