A relatively small and spirited group of fighters, called the Georgian Legion has been fighting and training soldiers in Ukraine for years. Their presence in Ukraine began in 2014, after the Russian annexation of Crimea. The Georgian Legion is a military organization consisting of mostly ethnic Georgian volunteers, with their focus on the destruction of Vladimir Putin.
Commanded by Mamuka Mamulashvili, a veteran Georgian officer, the Georgian Legion was comprised of about 50% Georgians along with other foreign nationals with a common desire to stand against Russian aggression. Mamulashvili recently stated, “Russian imperialism is a threat against the whole world,” adding, “We fought it for the last 30 years in Georgia. I hope we will end it here.” Ukrainian praise for the Georgian Legion has been shared by some western news outlets.
Why some Georgians Fight with Ukraine
As the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991, the Republic of Georgia declared independence. Fighting between Georgia and Russian-backed separatists began with Russia occupying several regions in Georgia. After the election of Vladimir Putin in Russia in 2000, Russo-Georgian relations deteriorated further, with the Russian military controlling 20% of Georgia’s internationally recognized territory. The BBC and other news outlets refer to these Georgian lands (Abkhazia and South Ossetia) as Russian-occupied territories. In addition to Georgia and Ukraine, Russia also occupies territories in Moldova and formerly controlled Japanese islands, or the Kuril Islands dispute.
The Georgian Legion fought alongside Ukraine forces in the Donbas War against Russia and now in the much larger Ukrainian War. Their recruits have largely come from Georgians, who remember their recent history fighting with Russia and other nationalities that share common goals. Fighters from the Georgian Legion are determined to see the end of Russian annexation – not only in Georgia, but all countries occupied by Russia.
International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine
After the formation of a new Ukraine force earlier this year, most foreign fighters now serve in the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine or the Ukrainian Foreign Legion. The organization was created in February 2022 by the Ukrainian government at the request of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to fight against the Russian invasion of the country. At the time, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister claimed that more than 20,000 volunteers from 52 countries had enlisted to fight for Ukraine, with several thousand more joining after the announcement.
Legion candidates must have documented military or medical experience. In turn volunteers to the International Legion would be eligible for Ukrainian citizenship, if desired. Pay is supposedly limited to ₴7,000 a month or $230 U.S. dollars. Others have reported that pay comes to several thousand dollars a month.
Challenges Within the Ukrainian Legion
In March of this year, a training base was struck by Russian missiles, killing 35 people, and injuring 134. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced they had killed “180 foreign mercenaries and destroyed a large consignment of foreign weapons” at the base. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said that it had not confirmed any foreigners among the dead, even though hundreds of foreign fighters had trained at the base. After the attack, Ukrainian forces transported foreign fighters who wished to resign to the border with Poland.
In June, two Americans, Alexander John-Robert Drueke, 39, and Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh, 27, fighting for the Ukrainian Foreign Legion were captured by Russia. In September, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs successfully negotiated the release of 10 foreign fighters from Britain, Morocco, Sweden, Croatia and the two Americans, transferring them to Saudi Arabia, where they were safely returned home. At the time, Secretary of State Antony Blinken extended thanks to Saudi Arabia for leading the effort.
Even though it is technically not illegal, the Biden administration has repeatedly urged Americans not to join the Ukrainian forces and to leave if they are in the country.
