"Ukraine is already meeting with foreign volunteers who come to our country, and the first group of 16,000 people will defend our freedom." RIA Novosti reported on the 3rd that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that day that the first group of foreign volunteers will defend our freedom. Mercenaries have arrived in Ukraine to fight Russia. Zelensky also said that the Ukrainian military receives weapons every day from partners and "true friends." According to foreign media reports, most of these mercenaries are retired soldiers from American and European countries, even if these countries bluntly say that they will not directly send troops to intervene. The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation said on the 2nd that it is conducting inspections and preparing for the prosecution of foreign mercenaries.
Foreign mercenaries go to Ukraine one after another
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for the establishment of an "international army" on February 27, local time. On March 1, he signed an order to implement a visa-free system for foreign mercenaries to Ukraine. According to a report by Reuters on the 2nd, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba revealed at a TV briefing that day that so far, more than 1,000 volunteers from 16 countries are on their way to Ukraine to fight against Russia, and "a steady stream of applicants". The US Weiss News Network said on the 2nd that most of these international volunteers are veterans, mainly from the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. Countries including Canada, Denmark and Norway have said their volunteers will be allowed to join the fight in Ukraine.
According to the British "Daily Mirror" report on the 2nd, a team composed of veterans of the famous British special air service regiment is going to Ukraine to fight against Russia. A dozen veterans have already arrived in Ukraine, and another dozen are due to arrive this week. The veterans, aged between 40 and 60, served in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan while serving in the military. They were accompanied by other British military experts. Among these were highly trained snipers, as well as specialists in the use of anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles. According to sources, all British special forces going to Ukraine will be proficient in using the Stinger and Javelin missiles. The report said that the veterans had volunteered to perform missions in the Ukrainian hinterland. Their expenses were financed by an anonymous country in Europe through a private security company.
Many countries stop their own people who want to join the war
The British Ministry of Defence previously said it would not send active-duty troops to fight in Ukraine because doing so would mean confrontation between NATO members and Russia. Prime Minister Johnson also warned on the 2nd, "I understand some British people who are eager to go to Ukraine to fight the Russian army, but the United Kingdom has laws about international conflicts and how to do it right. The British government is currently not actively supporting nationals to go to Ukraine to fight the war."
French soldiers were also not allowed to take part in the Russian-Ukrainian military conflict. French information television station BFMTV said on the 2nd that on the 1st, 14 Ukrainian French Foreign Legion soldiers were arrested on a transit bus from France to Poland - 9 of them were on leave but had no right to leave the country, and the other 5 were unauthorized leave the army. The 14 soldiers involved have been handed over to the Corps Command. Alain Radette, commander of the French Foreign Legion, said on the 2nd that there are currently an estimated 25 Ukrainian soldiers in the army who left the army without authorization. The French military has confirmed that soldiers of the Foreign Legion, regardless of their nationality, are not entitled to participate in combat operations unrelated to the French armed forces.
Japan's "Mainichi Shimbun" reported on the 2nd that the Ukrainian Embassy in Japan revealed that as of March 1, about 70 Japanese volunteered to join the war in Ukraine. Among them, 50 were ex-Self-Defense Forces members, and 2 He had joined the French Foreign Legion. The Japanese foreign minister called on the 1st, no matter what the purpose, people should not go to Ukraine.
Russia gets into action
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) said on the 3rd that since Zelensky called for the establishment of an "international army", hundreds of British people have expressed their desire to go to the front line in Ukraine. The Ukrainian embassy in the UK told the BBC they thanked "all those who want to support our country and fight against Russian aggression" for their support, but stressed that they did not help the British join the army to fight Russia.
The British "Daily Mail" said that a volunteer organization called "The Boys' Army" rallied in front of the Ukrainian embassy in the UK these days, actively responding to Zelensky's call to join the war. Banking practitioner Otavi is one of them. He claimed that he was a fan of anti-Soviet writer George Orwell and that "history tells us that the invasion should be stopped". Tom, the owner of a pet shop in London, told Sky News, "We are young and strong and can help." He admitted that he didn't want to die and was afraid, "but we can't just sit around and let things go."
British media reported that Bainoy, a Frenchman who used to do wine business between Ukraine and France, plans to drive to Ukraine this week to bring medical equipment and other supplies. Just a few days ago, his friend in Kharkiv was killed by a Russian shell. "I'm not a soldier, but my friends in Ukraine know how to fight," he said. "I can do logistical support. I want to go so badly, I can't do anything in France."
The Russian Satellite News Network said on the 3rd that the chairman of the Russian Federal Investigative Committee Bastregin ordered an investigation into the involvement of foreign mercenaries in committing crimes in Ukraine. The Russian Investigative Committee's report stated that Bastregin ordered investigators to verify the identity and nationality of foreign mercenaries who arrived in Ukraine, to confirm and investigate the fact that they participated in criminal operations, and to pursue criminal investigations by the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Responsibility to prepare for a prison sentence of up to 15 years. The briefing mentioned that open sources indicate that foreign mercenaries are arriving in Ukraine to assist the Ukrainian army.
