National Guard commander explains how foreign fighters strengthen Ukraine’s defense
Photo: Oleksandr Pivnenko, Commander of the National Guard (t.me/Pivnenko_NGU)
Foreign fighters continue to fight on Ukraine’s side in the war against Russia, performing very well, states National Guard Commander Oleksandr Pivnenko on the sidelines of the Digital Defense Forum.
"We have Colombian, Spanish-speaking fighters performing very well. For example, if I’m a commander and Spanish-speaking Colombians are carrying out a mission, we are currently developing a practice where, say, two Colombians go on a mission — they understand that they are not being sent on a one-way trip, because Ukrainian soldiers are nearby. This allows us to accomplish tasks very effectively," Pivnenko said.
He clarified that the National Guard is not creating a foreign legion, as that would require, for example, a Spanish-speaking commander, and not all units can find such leaders.
"All National Guard brigades can recruit foreigners, but mostly it’s the Azov unit, the 12th Brigade, and the 13th Khartiia Brigade," added the National Guard commander.
The general also noted that overall, the National Guard has "up to a battalion" of foreign servicemen, totaling up to 800 people.
New service rules for foreigners
Recently, several conditions for foreign volunteers in Ukraine were changed. Now, when signing a contract, they will be able to choose their combat brigade and service direction independently.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine are revising their approach to working with foreigners to make the most effective use of their combat experience, motivation, and professional skills. Volunteers will be assigned to units where their qualifications can provide the greatest benefit, increasing overall unit efficiency.
According to the Ground Forces, these changes will ensure better integration of foreigners, create equal conditions with Ukrainian servicemen, and help make more rational use of personnel resources.
