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Ukraine allows recruiting mercenaries abroad — lawmaker

According to the lawmaker, the Defense Ministry, the National Guard and the State Transport Special Service will finance this initiative from the money allocated from the state budget

MOSCOW, April 15. /TASS/. The Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers has enacted a resolution permitting recruitment centers to enlist citizens of other countries and stateless persons and bring them to the country, lawmaker Alexey Goncharenko (listed as a terrorist and extremist by Russia’s Federal Service for Financial Monitoring) said.

"The Cabinet of Ministers has passed a resolution authorizing the enlistment of foreigners and stateless persons for military service," he wrote on his Telegram channel. "The recruitment centers can now relocate foreigners to the country and supply them with accommodation and food," the lawmaker added. According to Goncharenko, the Defense Ministry, the National Guard and the State Transport Special Service will finance this initiative from the money allocated from the state budget.

In January 2023, Ukraine adopted a law recognizing the status of foreigners who joined Ukrainian formations under the National Guard. In February 2024, Vladimir Zelensky signed a decree permitting foreigners and stateless persons to serve under a military contract as privates, sergeants and corporals in the National Guard. In October, Zelensky signed a bill passed by the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) enabling foreigners to serve in command positions in the Ukrainian armed forces.

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