Invisible to the system: inside the Service of foreign military personnel in Ukraine's defense forces

Authors: Mariia Panchenko, Research Fellow at Pryncyp; Vladyslav Urubkov, Former Analyst at Pryncyp.

We have analyzed how foreigners serve in the Defense Forces of Ukraine and the systemic challenges they face. We examine this by following the logic of their 'pathway' from recruitment to combat operations and a military career. We also analyze negative scenarios that require particular attention: treatment after injuries, along with family support in cases of captivity, missing in action, or death in service.

Service structure and legal status

Foreigners have been fighting in the Defense Forces of Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war, and after the full-scale invasion their number increased exponentially. As of August 2025, more than 8,000 foreign service members have been serving in the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and at least twice that number have been serving across the Defense Forces of Ukraine as a whole. This estimate was given at the time in a comment to Hromadske by Kostiantyn Milevskyi, Acting Head of the Coordination Unit for Foreigners' Military Service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

There are two main formats of service for foreigners. The first one involves specialized units composed mainly of foreign volunteers: the International Legions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as part of the Ground Forces (which are to be disbanded by the end of 2025), the International Legion of the Main Directorate of Intelligence, the Kastus Kalnouski Regiment, the Russian Volunteer Corps, and others. The second format is service by foreigners within regular combat brigades, regiments, and battalions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Guard of Ukraine.

Foreign service members serve under the same conditions as Ukrainian citizens: They sign contracts, carry out combat missions, and receive identical pay depending on position and conditions of service. A contract for a foreign service member serves as the basis for lawful stay in Ukraine and effectively functions as a residence permit for the duration of service.

Recruitment and enlistment

According to the units surveyed, initiatives to work with foreign personnel usually come 'from the bottom up', as part of development and expansion efforts. Recruiting foreigners requires additional organizational efforts: translation, document support, and interaction with various institutions.

There are two recruitment scenarios. If a foreigner is already in Ukraine, they may apply to the Center for Recruiting Foreigners and Stateless Persons, Territorial Center of Recruitment and Social Support (TCR and SS), recruitment centers, or directly to the military unit in which they wish to serve. After submitting an application, the candidate undergoes a special screening at the Center for Recruiting Foreigners (a separate procedure applies in Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense units). For those who are abroad, the path to service begins with filling out an online application form. This is followed by an interview, a decision on recruitment, screening, and contract signing. The contracts mirror those of Ukrainian service members, with one key difference – a foreigner has the right to terminate the contract after six months of service.

A foreign service member must also open an account with a Ukrainian bank to receive pay. This requires a Registration Number of the Taxpayer Registration Card (RNOKPP), which is usually issued after the contract is signed. The military unit assists foreign service members in this process.

Service and military career

The primary role of foreigners in the Defense Forces of Ukraine is participation in active operations directly on the line of contact. Foreigners are rarely assigned to rear-area functions due to language barriers; moreover, they themselves are generally not very interested in rear positions, since financial motivation is one of the key factors for them.

Foreign service members operate in small groups of 6 to 8 people, formed based on the language they speak. This structure allows for fast and clear communication in combat. Such groups make up separate foreign platoons, and platoons in turn form companies.

Until October 2024, foreigners could not hold officer positions. The highest formal level available to them was non-commissioned officer positions, although in practice experienced foreigners often led assault groups or performed the duties of platoon commanders. This restriction has now been lifted.

Language barrier continues to be a critical systemic challenge. Colombians constitute the largest group of foreign service members, comprising up to 95% of the foreign personnel in certain units and often with little command of either Ukrainian or English. There is a critical shortage of interpreters: for every 100-120 foreigners, there are between 1 and 7 interpreters, while the actual need is at least 10. As a result, interpreters are primarily used for combat communication, and there are often insufficient resources for paperwork and administrative procedures.

Military reports, documents, and combatant status

All military reports in the Defense Forces of Ukraine are submitted in Ukrainian. Foreigners do not have access to the Army+ service and are therefore forced to submit documents only on paper. Since they do not speak Ukrainian, they cannot file reports themselves; in practice, fellow soldiers, clerks, or commanders handle this for them.

Similar difficulties arise with obtaining the combatant status. Some foreigners do not submit the necessary documents due to the language barrier or because they do not understand the importance of this status for social guarantees and benefits.

Healthcare: vulnerabilities in the system

Language and cultural barriers are especially pronounced during the treatment of injured service members. Units lack personnel capable of providing support who also speak foreign languages, while interpreters are focused on combat tasks. As a result, communication with wounded service members in hospitals is often fragmented.

Foreign service members frequently fail to notify commanders about transfers between hospitals or fail to submit medical certificates and discharge summaries. These issues create risks, including being mistakenly recorded as AWOL, missed payments, and problems during subsequent stages of care.

Another complex issue is disability determination through the Expert Teams For Assessing Person's Daily Functioning. A referral from a doctor is necessary for the expert commission, and the doctor initially verifies whether the foreign national is in Ukraine legally (a contract with the Defense Forces serves as this legal basis). The doctor must then enter the patient's passport details and Registration Number of the Taxpayer Registration Card (RNOKPP), if any, into the medical portal (e.g., Helsi). Previously, the system required a Ukrainian passport or residence permit number and would not allow a foreign passport or contract number to be used. However, Pryncyp's social media pages cited an instance where a referral was successfully issued using a military ID number. In any case, if difficulties arise at the stage of entering information into the healthcare system, the issue can be resolved through the NHSU hotline.

Discharge from service

After discharge, a foreigner no longer has legal grounds to remain in Ukraine if their contract served as the basis for their stay. In the worst cases, this can lead to placement in a temporary detention center for foreigners or even deportation, which can be extremely dangerous due to the risk of criminal prosecution.

To obtain a temporary residence permit after discharge, a foreign veteran must meet one of the three conditions: complete a three-year contract, accumulate a total of 180 days of combat service, or be discharged by the decision of the Military Medical Commissions (MMC). In practice, even if these criteria are met, foreigners face difficulties confirming service and interacting with the State Migration Service.

Families of foreigners – the most vulnerable group

The families of foreign service members have the same social guarantees as the families of Ukrainian soldiers: the right to partial compensation in cases of captivity or missing in action, as well as a one-time payment of UAH 15 million in the event of death (except for citizens or residents of Russia or Belarus).

However, in practice, families often face the system alone. Difficulties begin at the notification stage: according to the procedure, information is transmitted from the military unit to the Territorial Center of Recruitment and Social Support (TCR and SS), then to the Main Directorate for Military Cooperation, and after that – through the diplomatic mission of the home country – directly to the family. The specific agency that contacts the family (police, crisis center, or diplomats) depends on the country of residence. The process is complex and lengthy, so some military units or fellow service members contact families directly, even though this is prohibited by official regulations.

Complicated family relationships can also create obstacles to receiving benefits. If a service member had civil partnerships, children with multiple partners, incomplete information about them can result in the loss of eligibility for benefits due to the submission of inaccurate information.

Bureaucracy presents an additional challenge. To receive benefits, the family must contact the diplomatic mission in their country of residence, prepare a set of documents, and additionally have a representative in Ukraine who can submit documents to the TCR and SS on their behalf, open a bank account in a Ukrainian state bank, and perform bank transactions.

Another issue is DNA testing. Many foreign service members do not submit their DNA samples in advance. Furthermore, opportunities for families to undergo testing abroad are limited: certified laboratories that can transmit results to Ukraine operate in only a few countries. This creates additional uncertainty and delays both the legal recognition of death and the receipt of payments.

As a result, families are left in a vulnerable position. Without accessible information and systemic support, even legally guaranteed benefits are largely symbolic rather than practical for them.

Conclusions and recommendations

Foreign service members carry out combat missions on the same terms as Ukrainians and formally have the same guarantees. However, the system does not always take into account the language, cultural, and procedural aspects of their service. As a result, foreigners often remain 'invisible' navigating bureaucracy, medical treatment, and payments on their own, with the language barrier exacerbating these problems.

In difficult situations, one should not face problems alone. Foreign service members in the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and their families can contact the Main Directorate for the Protection of Service Members' Rights. Human Rights Center for Military Personnel and Veterans PRYNCYP has created a Legal Navigator for Foreigners and Stateless Persons – a point of entry with basic procedures and explanations. This tool can serve as a first step toward a more transparent and humane system for those who have consciously chosen to fight for Ukraine.