Ukraine has established a new military unit called the “Ukrainian Legion,” members of which will be trained in Poland, to help defend against the Russian invasion.
The primary aim is to recruit Ukrainian nationals living in other European countries to join the armed forces.
Kyiv estimates there are 300,000 Ukrainian men of fighting age in Poland alone and more than 6 million have fled Ukraine since the begining of Moscow’s assault in February 2022.
Ukrainian authorities have ramped up mobilisation efforts thanks to a new law enacted in May.
The next phase involves targeting the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian men residing in Europe, particularly in Poland and Germany, many of whom left their homeland to avoid conscription.
The initiative is part of a bilateral security agreement between Ukraine and Poland, signed on July 8 in Warsaw by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
This “special volunteer unit will be trained in Poland and equipped with Western weapons” before deployment to Ukraine, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed.
“We urge all Ukrainians in Europe to join the Ukrainian Legion,” he added.
By emphasising European training and modern weaponry, authorities hope to attract recruits, particularly since the Ukrainian military has struggled with equipment shortages due to delays in Western aid. There have been reports of young recruits being sent to the front lines without adequate training and equipment.
NATO allies have agreed to fund military aid for Ukraine with €40 billion next year, two Western European diplomats told Reuters ahead of alliance leaders meeting in Washington. https://t.co/RBgosexq3F
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) July 4, 2024
