The first Ukrainian citizens have signed contracts with the Ukrainian Armed Forces as part of the Ukrainian Legion in Poland, Ukraine's Defense Ministry reported on Nov. 12.
The legion was unveiled in July as a volunteer military unit made up of Ukrainian men living in Poland and trained by the Polish Armed Forces. The first volunteer recruitment center was opened in October at the Ukrainian consulate in the eastern Polish city of Lublin.
The unit is part of an effort to replenish the ranks of Ukraine's military as the all-out war with Russia continues into its third year.
After signing the contracts, the volunteers went to a Polish Armed Forces military training ground to undergo 35-day basic training. Upon completing the training, the servicemen can continue training in their chosen specialties at European NATO bases.
The training will be conducted under the guidance of Polish instructors using modern weapons. Commanders of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with combat experience will also participate in the exercises, according to the ministry.
As of Nov. 12, the Legion's recruitment center had received about 700 applications from Ukrainians around Europe to join the military, the statement read.
The legion will allow Ukrainians to join the fight while being able to return to Poland after completing their service. Under martial law instituted in 2022 after the start of the full-scale war, Ukrainian men aged 18-60 are not permitted to leave Ukraine without permission.
The U.N. estimates that 6.7 million Ukrainians were driven abroad as a result of Russia's all-out invasion. This is in addition to a sizeable diaspora living in Europe, the U.S., Canada, and elsewhere since before 2022.
The Kyiv IndependentDinara Khalilova