Ukraine plans to create new brigades of Ukrainians abroad

The General Staff plans to create several new mechanized brigades from Ukrainians living in Europe. Ukrainian Military Pages reported on this, citing its own sources. On the instructions of the President of Ukraine, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is preparing to create military units abroad.

The publication has received information that at least two new mechanized brigades will be formed, which will receive 160th numbers. The basis of the new units will be formed in Ukraine, and most of the military personnel is expected to be recruited through diplomatic missions. In the future, these military units are to go abroad for further training at western training grounds.

Ukrainian soldiers on training in Great Britain.

Photo from open sources

The publication noted that a new mobilization mechanism could be used for recruitment, which would allow military unit commanders to draft people without the involvement of draft offices. Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Kateryna Chernohorenko reported that as of the beginning of August, 88,000 citizens abroad had updated their data through the Reserve+ app. Previously, Poland announced the creation of a volunteer unit called the Ukrainian Legion.

Citizens of Ukraine residing in Poland or elsewhere abroad will be able to enroll and undergo training with the possibility of joining the Ukrainian Defense Forces under contract. "The Ukrainian Legion will train in Poland and be equipped with the help of partners. Every citizen of Ukraine who decides to join the legion will be able to sign a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine," Volodymyr Zelenskyi said.

In July, Polish correspondents of RMF24 reported that hundreds of Ukrainians living in the European Union had already expressed a desire to join the Ukrainian Legion.

Meanwhile, France is already equipping and training more than two thousand Ukrainian soldiers on its territory and is expected to form a full-fledged brigade by the end of 2024.