The first foreign fighter jets have arrived in Ukraine under heavy Russian shelling and are on the battlefield, Ukrainian military officials say.
This is the first time the unit has been used, the Ukraine Brig. This was stated on Monday afternoon in an interview with the Military Times by General Kirill Budanov, head of the intelligence department of the country’s defense ministry.
Late last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky created the “International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine” as a global call for foreigners to come to the aid of his country.
“The first groups are already on the battlefield,” another Ukrainian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said to explain the situation. “Every day a new group is sent to the war zone.”
According to the official, they came from the US, UK, Sweden, Lithuania, Mexico, India and other countries.
Volunteers arrive in Ukraine. But the untrained must stay at home
The official did not know all the tasks they perform, but said that some of them are protecting Kyiv.
“They are difficult to talk to as they are in a war zone,” the official said, estimating that around 20,000 people around the world have expressed an interest in volunteering. Last week, a Ukrainian Defense Department spokesman in Washington said that about 3,000 Americans had expressed interest, including many veterans.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby urged Americans to stay at home.
“I have no information about Americans who might want to go there as volunteers,” he said. “I would say the same thing I said last week: if you are an American and want to do the right thing with Ukraine, the best thing you can do is find a way to donate to so many agencies that are trying to deal with what is happening right now. clearly a humanitarian crisis in the region and certainly there in Ukraine. We still don’t believe Ukraine is a safe place for Americans. We urge them not to leave, and if they are still there, we urge them to leave.”
The US State Department also advises citizens not to travel to Ukraine.
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Russia’s war with Ukraine, now in its 12th day, has slowed the invasion force, but Ukrainian cities are under a devastating barrage of air and missile strikes. This is an attempt to help bolster Ukrainian forces.
Do you want to fight for Ukraine? Here’s what to do.
Volunteers will not be allowed to bring their own weapons, a Ukrainian official told Military Times last week. He added that those who fight will be given at least rifles. He did not comment on whether they would be given other types of weapons.
Ukrainian officials emphasize that they are looking for foreign volunteers with combat experience who require little training before being armed and sent to the front lines.
The instructions for enrolling in the legion require “documents confirming military service or work in law enforcement agencies and participation in hostilities.”
“We are asking trained people to come,” an official in Ukraine said. “We don’t have time to practice.”