Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office has opened criminal cases against over 100 foreign nationals who at various times fought against Ukraine in Donbas.
According to Ukrainian investigators, since the outbreak of Russia’s war in the region, at least two citizens of Bulgaria, seven of Armenia, one of Georgia, 19 of Italy, 27 of Spain, 12 of Kazakhstan, three of Lithuania, 26 of Moldova, two of the Netherlands, and five of Germany were involved in hostilities as part of Russian-controlled militant forces.
Foreign nationals were deployed in Donbas with a whole range of militant formations, such as the Prizrak Brigade (based in Luhansk, formally established by warlord Aleksey Mozgovoy), the 7th Motorized Rifle Chistyakovo Brigade (based in Bryanka in Luhansk Oblast), the 1st Sloviansk Brigade (which used to be commanded by Russian militant Ihor Girkin), the Sparta Battalion (formerly commanded by late Russian militant Arseniy “Motorola” Pavlov), the Vostok Brigade (led by former SBU special force officer Aleksandr Khodakovskiy) the Somali Battalion (led by late warlord Mikhail “Givi” Tolstykh), as well as with smaller formations like neo-Nazi force the Rusich Company, the Wolf Hundred, Bryanka USSR, etc.
The agency noted that, according to the 1977 protocols to the Geneva Conventions, such individuals are qualified as mercenaries, who, in compliance with Ukrainian legislation, are subject to up to life imprisonment and confiscation of property.
In late July, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office also reported new criminal proceedings regarding 20 nationals of France, 16 Brazilians, and an unspecified number of citizens of Kyrgyzstan, Bosnia and Chile who used to be involved in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Over 13,000 people, both civilians and combatants, have been killed in Donbas since 2014.
