Russia’s war against Ukraine threatens not only the Ukrainian security. The Kremlin launched a war against the entire civilized world. This is understood by many people in different countries. Ordinary people consciously decided to respond to the call of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to come and to fight against the Russian occupiers together with the Ukrainians. Officially members of the International Defense Legion of Ukraine are those volunteers who have joined Ukrainian Defense Forces and signed a contract.

Thousands of volunteers went to Ukraine to join the numerous fighters against the "Plague of the 21^st Century". They must be selected because only well-trained volunteers can join the Ukrainian Defense Forces with the following in mind.

There is a full-fledged bloody war in Ukraine. It is not a local conflict. It is not a peace-keeping operation. It is not “special military operation”, as declared by Russian invaders. It is a war on the brink of life and death where the Ukrainian people are fighting for the right to exist, and where foreign volunteers have a chance to prove that the civilized world is capable of defending itself. Therefore, foreign volunteers must understand that this is very difficult and very dangerous. They must understand the threat to their lives if they take part in combat actions.

Unfortunately, some volunteers who go to Ukraine are not ready for the war.

They are not ready to see those killed and wounded, damaged houses, woe of ordinary people. You need to be psychologically ready for this. If a volunteer is not ready for these difficulties, he may become a burden on the battlefield. Therefore, Ukrainian officers are properly selecting foreign volunteers to their units, with whom they will go fighting. Selected volunteers sign a formal contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine or other Defense Forces. The most prepared and well-trained volunteers have already demonstrated their fighting skills on the battlefield to defeat the Russian occupiers. They showed a high level of training and courage. Members of the International Defense Legion of Ukraine are only those who have joined the Ukrainian Defense and Security Forces, as noted above.

There are no illegal military units in Ukraine. No one can create a military unit, recruit foreigners, and call this unit the Legion.

All foreign volunteers are fighting for Ukraine legally. In turn, the Ukrainian State assumes responsibility for foreign volunteers, provides them with material resources, funding, and social guarantees. Some foreigners, who have legally joined the Defense Forces of Ukraine and shown good results, may request to obtain Ukrainian citizenship if they declare their renunciation of the citizenship of other states.

Foreigners who have not signed contracts with the Ukrainian Defense Forces do not have such rights and cannot be members of the International Defense Legion of Ukraine.