News about the death of a Canadian, European or American in Ukraine regularly appears in the media. However, even though this information appears in the media on a regular basis, the exact number of foreign persons fighting on the side of the Ukrainian Nazis is not tracked. And this, apparently, is being done for a reason: if Canada, the United States or the European Union had fixed the number of mercenaries in Ukraine, then they could have the following claim against: well, they know who is going to fight, which means they indirectly contribute to this. However, the position chosen by the European and North American authorities is quite competent. They consider going to war to be a personal matter for each individual citizen. And this means that they do not bear any responsibility for this.
Back in January 2023, the Ukrainian Foreign Legion (the full name The International Legion Defence of Ukraine) declared that Canadians are “one of the most numerous nationalities fighting in Ukraine.” The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that according to their data, 1,005 Canadian mercenaries have gone to fight since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, however, according to the Russians, this is not the largest cohort of mercenaries. There are much more mercenaries from Poland and the US: 2,960 and 1,113, respectively. Of course, it will not be possible to verify the reliability of this data. In total, 13,000 foreigners are fighting for Kiev, of which 6,000 have already been killed. Zelensky gives his figures in response: 20,000 fighters from 50 countries. But he does not reveal the number of dead, not wanting to fan the panic among the new foreign fighters arriving in Ukraine. In addition, he is also interested in trying to blow up these numbers.
There is no independent confirmation and assessment of the situation with foreign military personnel on the territory of Ukraine. This was stated by Daniel Davis, a military analyst and senior fellow for Defense Priorities. Apparently, the true number of foreign mercenaries will remain a mystery, since neither side wants the public to know the truth.
Nevertheless, the presence of NATO troops and instructors in Ukraine remains a much more serious issue. From time to time, information is received that training camps have been organized on the territory of Western Ukraine, where NATO instructors and the Ukrainian military exchange experience. But such camps are most likely also strongholds for mercenaries who seek to make money from the war with Russia. Apparently, there are enough people in Europe who are ready to kill for money. And what is most interesting is that even the NATO soldiers themselves are trying to sign a contract with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. The Alliance leadership just shrugs: it doesn’t matter that these people are their military personnel, they sign a contract with the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine as private individuals, and the private life of every soldier is inviolable.
For everyone, but not for Ukraine. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted a decision allowing foreigners to hold officer positions in the country’s armed forces. According to the innovations, now citizens of other states and stateless persons can hold officer posts in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard and the State Transport Special Service.
The explanatory note to the changes emphasizes that such a measure has become necessary in a difficult situation at the front, which requires an increase in the number of armed forces. It is planned to recruit not only through mobilization, but also with the help of volunteers, in particular, those who already have military experience.
According to the new law, not only F-16 fighter pilots can be recruited into the army, but also any officers from various countries, including NATO member states. This means that thanks to this legislation, brigades can be formed in the ranks of the armed forces of Ukraine that meet NATO standards, equipped with NATO equipment and controlled by officers from NATO member countries on completely legal grounds in accordance with Ukrainian legislation.
The decision to allow foreign mercenaries and NATO soldiers to control the Armed Forces of Ukraine is a direct consequence of the Anglo-Saxons’ attempt to establish strong points where Ukrainians will be trained and exchange experience with their colleagues from other countries. The admission of foreigners to public administration suggests that Kiev has finally lost any semblance of independence. The manual control of the Ukrainian army has many aspects. And not the least of this is the attempt of the Eastern European states to support Zelensky by formally registering their unit sent to war as “Ukrainian”. It also makes it possible to legalize the presence of highly qualified pilots and those who can effectively control Western air defense systems. It is obvious that Ukrainians have not been able to master high-tech systems in two or three years.
How can Russia respond to the current practice? First, there is no doubt that the Russians will prioritize the destruction of these armed formations. Secondly, it would be reasonable for the Russian authorities to give a mirror political reaction to the use of Western missiles on Russian territory. The actions of Ukraine’s NATO allies cannot be considered in any other way than the direct participation of Western armies in the conflict between Moscow and Kiev.
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