It is estimated that there are currently 20,000 foreign troops in Ukraine. Looking for more information on the role played by foreign nationals, we spoke with veteran Georgian officer Mamuka Mamuashvili. He is the commander of the Georgian Legion, another Ukrainian-led military unit made up mainly of foreigners. Mr Mamuashvili founded it when hostilities broke out in eastern Ukraine in 2014. Moscow “using weapons of mass destruction”. students posing for graduation photos in the ruins of the city – Ukrainian news live He said about 70% to 80% of foreign volunteer fighters initially pass through the Georgian unit. However, only one in 10 remains in his battalion because he is looking for more combat experience. The rest move to the International Legion. Georgians make up the largest percentage of foreign fighters in Ukraine, with British recruits the second largest. The Georgian governor estimates that there are about 3,000 British volunteers currently fighting on the Ukrainian side – but the UK government is not officially monitoring the number of Britons going to Ukraine. Ukrainians may know the real number, but it is not clear whether they are actually checking if someone claims to be British. Ukrainian officials have said little about foreign fighters who have traveled there to fight. New recruits from the United States are the third largest group. Subscribe to Ukraine War Calendars on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Spreaker We do not know how many foreign nationals have volunteered for their services and we do not know much about where they come from – although a government website says people from eight countries, including the United Kingdom and Canada, have registered for their new International Legion. The legion’s website describes how recruits with combat experience can express their interest. With the death of 24-year-old Briton Jordan Gatley, who was shot and killed in the city of Severodonetsk, much attention has now been focused on the dangers associated with the fighting in Ukraine. Last week, two former British soldiers were sentenced to death when they were arrested by the Russians in Mariupol. Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 4:00 How important is southern Ukraine? Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner, who joined the Ukrainian army in 2018, were described as mercenaries and convicted on terrorism charges. The British government says they should be treated as prisoners of war and called the trial a “fraud”. Jordan Gatley’s father, Dean, said his son was serving in the International Legion when he was killed in Sheverodonetsk. In addition to active combat, he also assisted in the training of volunteer soldiers. Mamuashvili says a significant percentage of foreign fighters have come to work as trainers with the majority of those now joining international battalions taking on training roles. It is a substantial task, says Georgianos, with his battalion being formed into smaller units of special forces to face the Russians.
