Ukraine's Ambassador: 5000 Iraqis are Recruited in Russian Army
Ukraine’s envoy tells Kurdistan 24 that he first proposed a consulate in Erbil in 2006, that most Ukrainian sunflower oil exports to Iraq pass through the Kurdistan Region, also added that 5,000 Iraqis were lured or coerced into Russia’s military and are being sent into mortal attacks.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Ukrainian Ambassador to Iraq Ivan Dovhanych revealed in an exclusive interview on Kurdistan 24’s Basi Roj programme with Zhino Muhammad that Ukraine is actively seeking to open a consulate general in Erbil, that he first proposed the idea in 2006 during his time as chargé d’affaires in Baghdad, and that the Kurdistan Region is emerging as a stable regional business gateway for Ukrainian trade and investment at a moment when its neighborhood is deeply unstable.
Dovhanych confirmed that the Ukrainian government has formally decided to open a consulate general in Erbil and has submitted an application to the Iraqi federal government in Baghdad for official approval. “As soon as that approval is made, we are ready to move very, very fast,” he said. He described the consulate as serving multiple functions beyond visa services, including a trade mission and a direct hub connecting Ukrainian and Kurdish business communities, removing the middlemen who currently increase costs for buyers on both sides.
Trapped In Russia’s War: 5,000 Iraqis On The Front Line
Dovhanych said approximately 5,000 Iraqi citizens have been recruited into the Russian army since 2022 or 2023, describing them as victims. “A lot of Iraqi young people went to the Russian army, being sure that they are going to Russia for jobs or to study. Some of them were promised money, citizenship, or something like that. Others were already in Russia and were given a choice: four years of contract with the army, or ten years of prison.” He said Russian commanders send them into mortal attacks without mercy.
No Peace Without Ukraine
Dovhanych rejected the proposed Trump-Xi-Putin trilateral summit on Ukraine that would exclude Kyiv. “All leaders can meet at any time, at any place, but finally, everything will be decided and solved by the Ukrainian nation,” he said. “Not even by the Ukrainian president. The Ukrainian nation is the main actor in this war.”
On ceding territory for peace, he was absolute. “No. We will never agree with that. The territory of Ukraine is internationally protected by the constitution of Ukraine. It is absolutely impossible to decide the destiny of these territories without the opinion of all the Ukrainian people.” On Trump’s suggestion that it may be time for a new Ukrainian president, he said: “It is very highly likely that Zelensky will be reelected, or another leader will come and he will be even tougher with Russia.”
Two Decades In The Making
The ambassador revealed the personal significance of the Erbil consulate initiative. “I am with this idea for 20 years. The first time I initiated the opening of a consulate general was in 2006 when I was chargé d’affaires in Baghdad. At that time I understood that it is impossible to develop our relations with all of Iraq including the Kurdish Region without having our separate diplomatic mission in Erbil,” he said.
Trade And Sunflower Oil
Ukraine is one of the world’s largest exporters of sunflower oil, and Dovhanych confirmed that the majority of Ukrainian sunflower oil exports to Iraq pass through the Kurdistan Region. He described the Region as a stable point in a very unstable neighborhood that Ukrainian business circles view as a gateway to a much wider regional market. A Ukrainian International Chamber of Commerce branch already operates in Erbil, and a permanent consulate will allow those commercial ties to grow significantly.
Ukrainians In The Kurdistan Region
More than 700 Ukrainians are permanently living in Iraq, with more than 400 in the Kurdistan Region, primarily in Erbil and Sulaimani. Dovhanych expressed deep gratitude to the KRG for the conditions it has created for them. “I know how difficult it is to create these conditions when you are in a very unstable neighborhood. Ukrainians are not refugees here, but they feel here comfortably, and I am grateful to Kurdish friends and to the government of the Region,” he said.
Kurds And Ukrainians: A Deep Similarity
Dovhanych described both peoples as having difficult histories, as being known globally as formidable fighters, and as being deeply sincere. “For us, Kurds are first of all perfect soldiers, perfect warriors, a nation able to fight against any enemy even much stronger than you are. And at the same time, an agreement made with a Kurdish businessman will be kept. In our modern world, where there is a deficit of trust, this is a huge capital when you are trusted,” he said. He also praised Iraq’s balanced position at the UN, expressing gratitude for Baghdad’s support of resolutions affirming Ukrainian territorial integrity. “We have full understanding with Baghdad and with my colleagues in the Iraqi government,” he said.