Ukrainian parliament adopts draft law on foreigners’ military service under contract

Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko reports.

The decision was voted for by 276 MPs.

Draft law No. 12023 provides for the possibility for foreigners and stateless persons to serve as officers in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the State Special Transport Service, and the National Guard.

To be recruited for military service, they must pass a check carried out by the Center for Recruiting Foreigners. During the check, they will find out:

• The legality of foreigners' stay on the territory of Ukraine;
• facts of bringing to administrative and criminal liability under Ukrainian law;
• signs of such a person's connections with the intelligence and subversive activities of foreign countries against Ukraine;
• other circumstances that may prevent such a person from being accepted for military service under a contract.

Defense Ministry's reaction

Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov emphasized the importance of the law drafted by the Defense Ministry, which opens the way to increasing the number of foreigners serving under contract as officers in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the State Special Transport Service, and the National Guard.

"Over the 2.5 years of the war against Russian aggression, we have seen many foreigners join the Defense Forces and prove their ability to effectively perform complex tasks on the battlefield. Previously, they could only serve as privates and sergeants, but the new law strengthens the personnel potential of our army," Umerov said.

On August 20, the Ukrainian parliament supported the draft law on the legal status of foreigners and stateless persons fighting for Ukraine.