Ukraine to allow foreign fighters without visas
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Entry requirements are suspended for those who want to enlist in the foreign legion.
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Ukrainian volunteers patrolling central Kiev (NYtimes)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has lifted foreign visa restrictions for foreigners who want to fly to Ukraine and join the International Legion to battle Russia.
Order 82, issued by Zelensky, creates a visa-free regime for the length of the present state of emergency and directs the Ukrainian government to begin implementing it right away.
Only people of the "aggressor state" are not allowed, which means that any Russian nationals who want to support Kiev in the crisis are not welcome.
In a speech on Sunday, the Ukrainian President announced the formation of the "International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine", a distinct army made up exclusively of international volunteers, in which he described the Russian onslaught as the "beginning of a war against Europe."
Zelensky said “the leadership of Ukraine invites all foreigners who wish to join the resistance to the Russian occupiers and to protect world security to come to our state and to join the ranks of the Territorial Defense Forces," inviting anyone who wishes to "stand side by side" with Ukraine.
In January, there were an increasing number of mercenaries in Donbass southeast Ukraine, arriving under the guise of being military instructors.
LPR head Leonid Pasechnik said that when Western countries say that they're sending 200 instructors to Kiev along with equipment and weapons in order to help train Ukraine's soldiers, it is likely these trainers are "narrow specialists from military companies" who may use these weapons on the front in Donbas.
He further revealed that the CIA trains these Ukrainians at military bases in organizing underground movements, maintaining conspiracies, recruitment, conducting sabotage operations, and using non-military means as weapons.
The West sending militants to Ukraine disguised as 'instructors': Zakharova
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova revealed on December 13 that Western nations are transferring militants to Ukraine, disguised as instructors.
"Ukraine is being pumped with armament, meaning, direct supplies, future contracts, and, as you see, these are multi-million, billion contracts as a whole. It is about dispatching their militants disguised as instructors," Zakharova told Russia's Krym 24 broadcaster.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu also spoke on December 21 at an extended meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry, attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, and said that US private military contractors (PMCs) are currently planning on staging false-flag attacks in Ukraine.
