March 18, 2025: Ukraine has a Foreign Legion of volunteer soldiers from over a dozen countries. This is not unusual. It happened in earlier conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and during World War II and the Spanish Civil war. Ukrainian President Zelensky called for foreign volunteers shortly after the Russians invaded three years ago. Ukraine formed an International Legion and soon found thousands of foreign volunteers to fill its ranks.

Many had no military experience and Ukraine had to arrange training. Some NATO countries helped out by providing informal training to their citizens headed for Ukraine. Initially foreign volunteers signed six month contracts to serve. Volunteers could back out of their contract if they wanted to. In less than a year the contract was modified to prohibit withdrawal for any reason. If you had a valid family emergency, you would be released. Many of these volunteers renewed their contracts several times and many have been in Ukraine for two years or more. For volunteers who were killed, Ukraine sends the body hack home if the body can be retrieved. Wounded volunteers are given first aid by the Ukrainians but many of their home countries will take back their wounded citizens for treatment.

There is a language barrier because few of the volunteers speak Ukrainian or Russian. In combat the language barrier does not matter much because hand signals are frequently used. For pre-battle briefings a translator can be found so the volunteers know where they are going and what they are going to do. Most volunteers quickly acquire knowledge of a few dozen Ukrainian terms used by the military, which is how the German and Russian armies in World War Two were able to use so many recruits who did not speak German or Russian. Ukrainian foreign volunteers provide friends and family back home with a personal and accurate view of the war. This is often done with cellphone videos. Some of these videos and transmitted back home in real time. These videos provide proof of Russian atrocities and the generally barbaric behavior of Russian troops. The media back home can’t say whatever they like because these videos get around and keep the local media honest, or at least accurate. For example, when Russian troops heard English-speaking European volunteers yelling at them from a nearby trench, the Russians claimed that NATO soldiers were actively aiding the Ukrainians. That backfired when further investigation by Western reporters revealed the presence of foreign volunteers.

There are also a large number of volunteers serving as support personnel or assisting the Ukrainians to rebuild as well as helping Ukrainian civilians made homeless by the fighting. Many of these civilians move to the west, with many planning to return when the war is over. The volunteers help the civilians with this.

Some volunteers have come to know Ukraine and its people quite well. Because of that many plan to remain after the war to help rebuild the country. They could also find a wife, because the Ukrainian casualties and potential conscripts fleeing to the West have reduced the possibility of Ukrainian women finding a husband.