This is how the Armed Forces of Ukraine responded to media information about the disbandment of international units.
The Army stressed in its statement that foreign volunteer units are not disappearing.
“They are transforming to become stronger. Instead of being separate “light” battalions, they are being integrated into effective and experienced units of the Ground Forces,” the Ukrainian Armed Forces added.
As the command indicated, there foreign volunteers receive more opportunities for career development, better support and access to the resources of regular units – artillery, unmanned systems, aerial reconnaissance and logistics.
They also emphasized that the combat missions of the legionnaires do not change – the soldiers continue to work in the relevant areas. In addition, military personnel of the legions can retrain as UAV operators, artillerymen, reconnaissance officers or logistics specialists.
The Ground Forces said that due to information in the media about the alleged “liquidation” of the legions, an internal check was carried out.
“Individual violations were identified in the organization of accounting and management processes that needed to be responded to and streamlined. Some of the public comments that appeared subsequently do not reflect the full picture and may be associated with the reluctance of individual officials to lose their functions or positions after decisions were made,” the command added.
Context
News about the disbandment of units where foreign volunteers serve appeared in December 2025. The media, citing sources in the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, wrote that in the fall the General Staff issued a joint non-public order with the Ministry of Defense to disband all international legions by December 31.
On February 8, 2026, an article by the French publication Le Monde was published, which caused a resonance. In it, a foreign volunteer says that the fighters are being transferred to attack aircraft. “Everyone is demoralized, many comrades have left,” said Dane Bjorn Kalsoy.
About the creation of the International Legion president Ukraine, Vladimir Zelensky announced on the fourth day of a full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, February 27, 2022. He called on foreign citizens to “join the defense of security in Europe and the world.”
In June 2022, a legion representative reported that volunteers from all continents had joined the International Defense Legion of Ukraine.
On September 17, 2024, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a law providing for the creation of a Center for Recruiting Foreigners to conduct special checks. To minimize risks, on February 12, the government approved a mandatory polygraph test.
