EXPLAINED: International Legionnaires – Pay, Enlistment, Conditions

Foreign nationals can join the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and become an official service member of Ukraine – not mercenaries – through the International Legion, a military unit that primarily consists of foreign volunteers that was founded in 2022 after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion.

However, foreign nationals are only eligible for non-officer roles, though military and previous combat experience is only a preferred but not mandatory requirement.

“Combat experience is not required but would increase the chances of being accepted. Combat experience might include paramilitary or militia experience,” reads the International Legion website.

The website’s FAQ section stated that some roles might require Ukrainian language proficiency, and roles are typically assigned after completion of training.

“However, some things require knowledge of local customs and the Ukrainian language. For example, positions of clerks, lawyers, logistics managers, surgeons, etc. Usually, your exact role will be determined after the training process, but you should specify in your email application if you have any preferences,” it reads.

Payments, benefits compared to other foreign legions

Ukraine’s International Legion generally pays less than the French Foreign Legion, a military unit of the French Army made up mostly of foreign volunteers.

Salary for Ukraine’s International Legion is the same as for a regular Ukrainian soldier.

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• $550 per month behind the front line
• $1,100 per month for service in a dangerous zone
• Up to $4,800 per month for combat deployment

In comparison, the French Foreign Legion has a basic salary of €1,600 ($1,800), according to a site affiliated with the French unit.

Path to citizenship

The possibilities of obtaining residency and citizenship via military service are a more nuanced question.

Legally, foreigners serving in Ukraine – as well as their family members – are now eligible for residency after Kyiv adopted Bill 9585 in August 2024. The bill also says foreign fighters with expired passports can apply for residency or citizenship.

For soldiers, a valid military contract itself is a sufficient legal basis to stay in Ukraine legally without the need to obtain temporary residence.

As for citizenship – obtaining a Ukrainian passport – serving in the Ukrainian military provides a “pathway to citizenship,” as the official website puts it, meaning a foreigner can theoretically obtain a Ukrainian passport after serving, but the exact process remains unclear.

• The State Migration Service of Ukraine says foreigners serving for more than three years are eligible for an “immigration permit” – which is not citizenship but a prerequisite for obtaining it.
• Reports also suggest that a fast-track program exists for those with specific state medals, but Kyiv Post was unable to identify the laws and regulations stating this.

Alternatively, a foreigner staying legally in Ukraine consecutively for five years is also eligible for permanent residence.

Ukraine also prohibits dual citizenship at the time of writing, meaning an individual will have to renounce their native citizenship to obtain Ukrainian citizenship.

For the French Foreign Legion, a soldier can apply for French nationality after three years of service and is granted French nationality automatically if he is seriously injured. A French legionnaire is also eligible for a pension after serving 17.5 years.

Eligibility to serve

While combat experience is not required, there are basic requirements an aspiring International Legionnaire must fulfill.

• 18-60 years of age
• No criminal record
• No chronic diseases
• Physical fitness
• Ability to enter Ukraine legally

In short, a foreigner needs to have a visa and financial means to enter Ukraine legally, after which he/she will undergo examinations by the medical commission if his/her application is accepted.

Enlistment process

The International Legion website also provides extensive details on the enlistment process.

Foreigners interested in joining need to register on the website, fill out a questionnaire, and report on their experience and skills.

After that, the recruiting department would review the application and submit the candidacy to a combat unit – one of many within the Ukrainian Ground Forces, which might not be specifically be one of the international regiments – if found suitable, where the volunteer would then come to Ukraine, sign a contract, and join the AFU officially.

In a press release, the International Legion’s chief of staff also explained the recruitment process.

“In the detachment, the commander selects those servicemen who are needed. After that, the recruiting department makes an appeal to the foreigner himself.

“He comes to Ukraine, he is escorted, he signs a contract and joins the ranks of the Armed Forces,” said the officer, who’s part of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR), an agency that oversees the operations of some Legion units and regiments.

Travel expenses for those who passed the selection are not covered by the Ukrainian authorities.

Contract duration

According to the HUR officer, International Legion fighters can terminate the contract “on their own initiative” after six months of service and they are not obliged to stay until the end of the war, which is a requirement for locals now serving in the Ukrainian military.

“It is a good bonus that they sign a contract, but are not obliged to stay here for one, two, three or five years. He stayed for several months and saw what was happening.

“Perhaps he needs time: to stop, reassess, understand why he is not ready, what skills and knowledge he needs to acquire. Or he is ready to get them here, in battle,” said the unnamed official in a documentary. 

However, the site also says it’s not possible to terminate the contract during a combat deployment.

On June 24 last year, Kyiv Post reported the experience of two American and one European volunteers serving in a mortar team under the International Legion on the eastern front, citing a documentary released by HUR.

In January 2024, Kyiv Post also interviewed fighters from the Kastus Kalinoŭski Regiment, a fighting unit formed by Belarusian nationals that is a part of Ukraine’s International Legion.