«You have to defend Ukraine as if it were your sister or brother»: how foreigners united into the Legion defending Donetsk and Luhansk regions

As of today, Vchasno journalists are being told, representatives from more than 30 countries are serving in the Second International Legion of Defence of Ukraine — Kartvelians (Georgians), Belarusians, Colombians, Poles, Brazilians, Spaniards, Germans, British, and citizens of other countries.

On 27 February 2022, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on foreigners to join the defence of Ukraine and form the International Legion. The international response to this call varied from government to government. Germany stated that the federal government would not prevent its citizens from travelling to Ukraine to fight in the war. The Netherlands announced that joining the International Legion was legal. Latvia, Israel, Denmark, Ecuador, the United Kingdom, France, the Czech Republic, and Argentina were also not against it. Some countries tried to warn their citizens against participating in the russian-Ukrainian war. The United States did not advise its citizens to visit Ukraine, but as of 3 March, more than 3,000 Americans had already expressed a desire to fight for Ukraine.

«Our advice to all Australians is not to travel to Ukraine…», the Prime Minister of Australia said.

Belgium discouraged its veterans from participating in the war.

«I will not allow our people to die in Ukraine», the Prime Minister of Cambodia said. Japan also advised against travelling to Ukraine.

But despite such different reactions from governments and the risk to their lives, many foreigners stood shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainians to resist the aggression of the russian empire.

«Who can foreigners be when they decide to join us? Whoever they want and whoever they can. But the value of our unit is that here you have a chance to make your dreams come true and realise your ambitions, whatever they may be», the legionnaires say.

How the Second International Legion was formed

in the Luhansk region

In October 2022, the Second International Legion of Defence of Ukraine began to be actively formed. This included Colonel Ruslan Myroshnychenko, codenamed «Santa», who later became the unit’s commander and served as its commander until November 2024. The basis of the battalion’s command staff were representatives of the former First International Company of the 1st Special Purpose Brigade named after Ivan Bohun of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At that time, the company consisted of Ukrainians, Belarusians and Georgians (Kartvelians) — representatives of the nations with a century of experience in fighting against russia’s aggressive policies and military aggression. In particular, a large part of Georgia has been occupied by russia since 2008, while Belarus has been under russia’s tacit control for decades.

«Our fighters come straight into a family — a unit where people are united by common values. That is, the International Legion has created the basis and conditions for mutual understanding. They are brothers, a priori», Colonel Ruslan Myroshnychenko, codenamed «Santa», says in an interview with Vita TV channel.

The formation of the legion took place simultaneously with the execution of combat missions. Since April 2023, units of the 2nd International Legion have joined the Defence Forces in northern Ukraine. The area of responsibility of the Legionnaires covers a part of the russian-Ukrainian border, which is the area of responsibility of the Legion’s tactical group to date.

In June 2023, the second tactical group of the 2nd International Legion moved east, where it held defence on a stretch of over a kilometre in the Serebrianka Forestry near Kreminna.

«On 25 June, we came under the command of the 95th Air Assault Brigade and were tasked with reinforcing the assault operations in the 63rd Brigade’s defence area. We had to prevent the defence line from being broken through. Together with the paratroopers, we completed the task, moved forward and gained a foothold. At the same time, we suffered losses — two soldiers were killed and 15 were wounded. But we completed the task», «Santa» says.

Today, the volunteers have already taken part in the battles for Lysychansk, Hryhorivka, Siversk and Bakhmut. One of the most difficult positions for many legionnaires was the Serebryansky Forest, where the International Legion held a kilometre-long defence for a year. «This is a historical precedent that has never been seen before», Ruslan Myroshnychenko says proudly.

The first foreign chaplain from Brazil in Ukraine

The recruitment process for the International Legion is multi-layered. First, volunteers have to go through an interview to explain their motivation and demonstrate that they understand the military challenges they will face. After that, they have to submit documents and wait for them to be reviewed and approved, and finally, they have to demonstrate physical strength and endurance, as these criteria are crucial in many aspects of service for the performance of combat missions and the retention of soldiers. However, when all of the above points are passed, sometimes service in the Armed Forces can make dreams come true. In particular, Macarius Lewis from Brazil became the first foreign chaplain in Ukraine, which was always his dream.

He has spent his entire life surrounded by the militaries — his father was a soldier, and so was his grandfather before him. That’s why, he says, weapons are «tradition» for his family. For some time, he was hiding his decision to volunteer in Ukraine from his parents. For the first few months, he didn’t even tell them where he was — he was worried about how his parents would react. However, when his mother eventually found out that her son had gone to defend Ukraine, she could not hold back her tears. She admitted that she was proud of the way she had raised Macarius.

«I grew up in a village where there was a large Ukrainian diaspora: Ukrainian schools, churches, meeting places etc. So I heard about Ukraine and its problems from them. When I heard that a full-scale war had begun, I decided that I wanted to be there, to serve Ukraine and for Ukraine, above anything else. But at the beginning, when I arrived at the training centre and said that I wanted to be a chaplain, I was rejected: at that time it was impossible. So I decided to be a combat medic, and in my free time, to conduct a church service for my fellow soldiers who wanted it. I started at the training centre — every day, after training, I was setting up the altar on my own and communicating with the soldiers», the foreigner says.

Already during his service, the soldier was noticed — when his comrades saw how Macarius was addressed by his comrades and how much he did for the army. Soon the volunteer became the first foreign chaplain in Ukraine. He says he is honoured to be not only the first, but also to serve the Lord and Ukraine. However, he admits that even if this had not happened, he would have continued to serve as a rifleman and a medic, and as a part-time translator from Spanish to English. First of all, because since 2014, when russia attacked Ukraine, he knew that his place was there.

After Macarius joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces, he was called back to be appointed a priest in one of the churches where he could conduct services. Macarius confidently refused.

«My place is in Ukraine, and I will not exchange it even for serving in a comfortable church, in the place where I grew up and lived», the chaplain emphasises, «even despite the conditions in which I have to live now sometimes».

Every time he puts on his Ukrainian uniform in the morning, he is the most proud of it.

«I tell all our guys: you have to love and defend Ukraine as if it were your sister or brother. Ukraine, which has sheltered us and welcomed us with open arms, must be defended as if we were fighting for our own house or apartment. Therefore, I am aware that I may die in this fight. But in that case, let my blood be an act of non-reconciliation with russia’s aggressive actions», the chaplain said.

«Recruiting» on the plane from Argentina and in a military store in Lviv

At the same time, recruitment to the International Legion sometimes takes place in completely unexpected places, such as a cabin of a plane. Juan Carlos, an Argentine who was still an unassigned volunteer, was flying to Ukraine to become a soldier in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. By chance, he struck up a conversation with another legionnaire on the plane, who was returning to Ukraine from his relatives. And at the end of the conversation about service, two legionnaires got off the plane: one was an experienced soldier and the other was a future recruit.

«I have never regretted making this decision. Even when all my belongings were being looked through at airports for a very long time, — I sometimes wanted to return, just to avoid wasting hours waiting. But my decision to serve in the Ukrainian army is unshakable, and it has not changed even after my first combat tour, even though it was quite unusual and very intense», the soldier says.

Just a couple of days after the Argentine arrived at the unit in Donetsk region, he went on a combat mission. He spent eight days under the occupiers' artillery fire and round-the-clock drone hunting. However, he says with a smile: it was very adrenaline-pumping, exciting and even scary. However, if he had the opportunity to repeat this experience or refuse it, he would not hesitate to undertake this task again. And when asked what he thinks of Ukraine and Donetsk region, he adds without hesitation: he already feels like being a part of the region. «I have already felt myself like being a part of the town where we live now. And it is very painful to see what russia with its weapons, missiles and drones is doing with it. It makes me sad, but I’m here and I can do everything I can to help fighting the invasion», the Argentine says.

For Marek, a Polish legionnaire, serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces has become his life’s work and a real challenge. Before the full-scale invasion, the man has served in Sweden for four years. He says that he always wanted to join the Ukrainian army, but his beloved was dissuading him for a long time. But when they broke up in 2023, he decided: «the time for Ukrainians has come». Although he joined the International Legion by accident — he went to a military store in Lviv and overheard two soldiers talking in English. They shared the contact details of the unit where they were serving, and within a few days Marek was on training.

«First, I went through the training because you have to be seen for what you are worth. There are some people who write in their application forms that they can fly tanks, but as it turns out, these „rambos“ know nothing. So we signed the contract after the training», the volunteer says.

In the spring of 2023, Marek was seriously wounded on the battlefield, as a part of an anti-tank team, on the enemy territory, when he and his comrades came across a mined area. Unfortunately, his commander was killed. A Pole followed him. He recalls that the occupiers noticed this and even came there with a car to pick up the legionnaires to take them prisoner. However, the foreign soldiers were lucky — the russians themselves exploded on the hidden mines. However, even after that, Marek had to wait 30 hours for evacuation — because of the long time taken to save them, his foot and then his knee had to be amputated due to inflammation. Now the fighter walks with a prosthesis. And although his friends persuaded him to finish his service, he resolutely refused and simply transferred to another position.

«I really wanted to return to the frontline, so in my spare time I took a drone pilot course. In April 2024, I was already in Donbas. Of course, it is much more difficult to work after such an injury. In winter, snow, ice — it is difficult to move around on the prosthesis. Sometimes I think it would be better to buy a sledge. Or screw bolts into my shoes», the legionnaire laughs.

Today, Marek trains new Legion volunteers and continues to learn new things himself. In his free time after his rotation, he visits engineers and learns programming and soldering. He says that help is always needed, so there are no «extra» hands.

«In Sweden, I was paid for three weeks of work the same money as I earn here for a month of combat tasks, but I didn’t like it there. Since 2018, I’ve been in the army. I don’t like civilian work, the routine kills me. And I am a free man — I do what I want. I really like this life. I like to kill russians. It’s cool. And I really love Ukraine. In particular, Donetsk region — mountains and lakes. We just need to catch and imprison those corrupt guys who always don’t have enough money», Marek says.

Legion is about the same philosophy, approaches and culturе

Today, the fighters of the Second International Legion of Defence of Ukraine continue their fight as a part of the Ground Forces of Ukrainian Army in Donetsk region. They are being joined by new legionnaires from many countries around the world who want to help Ukrainians to defeat terrorist russia.

For many volunteers, the decision to serve in Ukraine is a matter of honour. And the realisation that they may die on the battlefield is sacred and noble.

Today, to make legionnaires in Ukraine even more powerful and successful, experienced commanders are waiting for changes in the way of treating foreigners. They say that motivating is good for soldiers, but people need career opportunities as well. After all, when a legionnaire is promoted to the rank of sergeant, for example, it is a sign of recognition from the Armed Forces. However, today, the ranks that foreigners held in their home countries are not recognised in Ukraine, and it means that an experienced sergeant in another country’s army will start the military career with a rank of soldier. In Ukraine, however, they can only be promoted to the rank of sergeant after completing certain courses, just like any other Ukrainian.

And as Colonel Ruslan Myroshnychenko noted in an interview with Vita TV channel, all international units currently fighting in the Armed Forces should be united, as it will help to ensure that soldiers have a common philosophy, which will affect their combat operations.

«The Legion is about the same philosophy, approaches and culture. And it should be either one regiment or one brigade. Today, these are separate units with their own cultures, traditions and philosophies. But everything should be unified, in line with NATO standards. It will strengthen Ukraine’s defence», Ruslan Myroshnychenko says.