Syrian mercenaries alongside kyiv fighters, due to lack of foreign volunteers

In Ukraine, tens of thousands of soldiers died during the counter-offensive, which did not work, according to the Ukrainian army chief, who also mentioned the difficulties in recruiting new soldiers. At the start of the war, when Ukraine launched a call for foreign volunteers to come and fight alongside it against Russia, Andrii Tcherniak, spokesperson for military intelligence, listed the nationalities: Germans, Belgians, French, etc., were came to fight for common values, against Russian aggression.

Twenty months of war later, “we are receiving fewer candidates”, recognizes Andrii Tcherniak. And the profiles have changed because the foreign fighters who come to fight in Ukraine no longer do so out of conviction but for money.

Syrians, Latin Americans, Africans

Ukraine now has to rely on mercenaries they never imagined employing. When asked if he recruits Syrians, the military intelligence spokesperson is obliged to acquiesce: “I can’t give you numbers, but yes there are Syrian citizens fighting for Ukraine today.” Syrians who are now killing each other in a conflict far from their country, but also Latin Americans and Africans. “We invite themexplains military intelligence spokesperson, they sign a contract and receive a salary to fight.”

“We have to survive. So we have to bring people in.”

Andrii Tcherniak, spokesperson for military intelligence

at franceinfo

Russia has three times as many troops as Ukraine and readily recruits foreign fighters. kyiv has no choice: faced with this reality, it too must resort to mercenaries.