Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The first ship of the Maghreb fleet delivering aid to break the siege on Gaza departs from the port of Gammarth in Tunisia.
Channel 12: Airspace closed at Ramon Airport due to fears of drone infiltration
IOF Spokesperson: Sirens sounded over an aircraft infiltration in the Bir Ora area, and details are being examined
Drone infiltration sirens sound north of the Gulf of Aqaba
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out five extremely violent raids on the western areas of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out major bombings in the Gaza Strip, the most violent since October 7
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: The missile force carried out a major operation using the Palestine 2 ballistic hypersonic missile, hitting several targets in occupied Yafa.
Sirens sound in large areas of occupied Palestine after a missile launch from Yemen was detected
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 14 martyrs arrive at al-Shifa Hospital following Israeli massacre of al-Sultan Family north of Gaza.
Qatari PM: We must not surrender to the arrogance of extremists and pursue our quest for a 'two-state solution'

Canada, UK, France, Germany, US have mercenaries fighting in Ukraine

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Responsible Statecraft
  • 21 Mar 2024 17:02
  • 5 Shares
4 Min Read

Several statements released ever since the beginning of the Ukraine-Russian conflict show that Kiev's Western allies have mercenaries fighting in Ukraine.

  • x
  • A Ukrainian soldier picks up a machine gun after a heavy fight on the front line in the village of Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Friday, March 1, 2024. (AP)
    A Ukrainian soldier picks up a machine gun after a heavy fight on the front line in the village of Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Friday, March 1, 2024. (AP)

A Responsible Statecraft report shed light on a revelation made by Global Affairs Canada this week that a Canadian had died in Ukraine, who was later announced to be Jean-Francois Ratelle, a commander of the Norman Brigade, a fighting force of volunteers from several different countries commanded by a CAF veteran who goes by "Hrulf", according to CTV News. 

The Canadian government says it does not trace how many Canadian citizens are fighting in Ukraine. However, in January 2023, the Ukrainian Foreign Legion stated that Canadians were "one of the most numerous nationalities" fighting in Ukraine.

CTV News reported that it was able to trace “at least 18 Canadians who are or were, in Ukraine as fighters or as part of humanitarian efforts.”

Two Canadians serving with Ukraine's International Legion, which was attached to the 92nd Mechanised Brigade, died in Bakhmut on May 1, 2023. Before being deployed in Ukraine, both of these mercenaries had served in the Canadian Armed Forces. At the time, CBC News announced that they were the fourth and fifth Canadians to die fighting in Ukraine. The Globe and Mail, by November, revealed that nine Canadians died in Ukraine.

One of the Canadians who died was "fighting alongside two US citizens who also died while fighting in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine."

On March 8, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said that "NATO soldiers are already present in Ukraine,” but he did not agree to “list those countries,” hence confirming a list. 

Russia: 13,000 foreigners in Ukraine

Related News

US, China to resume talks in Madrid; tariffs, TikTok on agenda

China warns Philippines against provocations in South China Sea

The Russian Defense Ministry announced on March 14, during an update on the number of foreign mercenaries, that 1,005 Canadian mercenaries have been deployed to Ukraine to fight. It added that at least 491 of them, nearly half, have died.

According to the update, 2,960 mercenaries were from Poland with 1,497 of them reportedly dead. The US comes in second with at least 491 of its 1,113 mercenaries dead.

It added that mercenary fighters have come from NATO members Romania and the UK, with France being the source of fewer militants, as 147 French nationals have died out of 356 who have been deployed.

In total Russia revealed that 13,000 foreigners have fought for Kiev and around 6,000 have died. The Ukrainians also say their international legion is constituted of around 20,000 fighters from 50 countries. 

Not only American troops but also the CIA 

According to US Defense Department documents leaked in March 2023, there were at that time at least 97 NATO special forces in Ukraine, 50 British, 17 Latvian, 15 French, 14 American, and 1 Dutch. Back then, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby refused to verify the number but validated “a small US military presence” there.

A recent The New York Times report based on interviews with more than 200 current and former officials showed that there were “scores”, at least more than 40, of CIA officers in Ukraine.

In a transcript of a February 19 conversation between senior German Air Force officials, one official stated, “It's known that there are numerous people there in civilian attire who speak with an American accent.”

It further exposed that there are UK personnel on the ground. One official, amid discussions on how German Taurus long-range missiles could function in Ukraine, revealed that the Germans “know how the English do it. . .. They have several people on-site."

The British prime minister’s office has verified that the UK has soldiers on the ground saying "Beyond the small number of personnel we do have in the country supporting the armed forces of Ukraine, we haven't got any plans for large-scale deployment."

Some German and French 

On February 26, backing up his decision not to provide Taurus missiles to Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that it would need the presence of Germans in Ukraine to match their British and French counterparts as he elaborated that “What is being done in the way of target control and accompanying target control on the part of the British and the French can’t be done in Germany."

  • United States
  • Nato
  • Russia
  • Canada
  • Germany
  • France
  • United Kingdom
  • Ukraine
Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Israeli police and rescue teams respond at the scene of a shooting attack where several people killed and injured in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 (AP)

Al-Quds shooting: 7 settlers killed, several critically injured

  • Politics
  • 8 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

Pro-'Israel' far-right Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Damage sustained after a Yemeni drone exploded in Ramon Airport, southern occupied Palestine, Sunday, September 7, 2025 (Social Media)

Yemeni drone successfully hits Ramon Airport in southern Palestine

  • Politics
  • 7 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Elon Musk attends a news conference with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Washington (AP)
Politics

Elon Musk calls for dissolving UK parliament at London far-right rally

Israeli media: US betrayed Qatar, gave green light for attack on Hamas
Politics

Israeli media: US betrayed Qatar, gave green light for attack on Hamas

Leaked memo shows Trump eyeing Louisiana National Guard plan
Politics

Leaked memo shows Trump eyeing Louisiana National Guard plan

Mamdani vows to arrest Netanyahu if elected New York mayor
Politics

Mamdani vows to arrest Netanyahu if elected New York mayor

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS