The conditions of military service for foreigners in Ukraine include a provision for the termination of the contract they sign with the Ministry of Defence at their request.

This was said by Chief of Headquarters of the DIU International Legion with the alias ‘Shef’ in the documentary film ‘Legions of Light’ within the series ‘Military Intelligence of Ukraine’.

“It's a nice bonus that they sign a contract, but they are not obliged to stay here for a year, two, three or five years. They stay for a few months and see what’s going on. Maybe they need time to stop, reassess and understand why they are not ready and what skills and knowledge they need to acquire. Or they are ready to acquire all of that here, in combat,” DIU officer explained.

Amendments to the Law of Ukraine on mobilisation, which came into force on 18 May, 2024, stipulate that foreigners can terminate their contract only after six months of continuous service.

According to the Chief of Headquarters of the DIU International Legion, to enter the ranks of military intelligence, foreigners must first register on the website, fill out a questionnaire, and report their experience and skills.

“Some of them fought in Syria, some in Iraq, some in Afghanistan, and so on. We all have our experience... We strive for the best: for NATO, for those units that use the right methods of management and warfare. However, in any case, Ukrainians with good foreign language skills and combat experience should be at the top of the chain of command,” ‘Shef’ noted.

Next, the recruitment department reviews the information provided by the foreigners and submits their applications to the combat unit.

“After that, the recruitment department contacts the foreigner and the person comes to Ukraine. He is escorted, signs a contract and joins the ranks of the Armed Forces,” said the Ukrainian intelligence officer.

He added that the legionnaires are motivated professional fighters. They are motivated to join the Security and Defence Forces of Ukraine primarily by the terrible consequences of the war caused by russia and the desire to protect the future of the free world from tyranny.