Ukraine plans to effectively dismantle one of the main structures that has brought foreign volunteers into its ranks, the International Legion under the Ground Forces, according to sources, leaving legionnaires worried they will lose the unit’s hard-won identity and be scattered into unfamiliar structures in a way they say could cost lives.

“Our biggest worry is just that we’ll be moved around and units will be pulled apart, and we’ll basically be funneled into where they feel like they need to put us in order to make this work,” a soldier who has fought with the Legion for a year and a half told the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity.

“This is (about a thousand soldiers) being moved into different areas, falling under their command, and with that kind of change will come mistakes. Mistakes that could have been prevented by just keeping the structure that we have now," he added.

The Ground Forces, which the Legion is subordinate to, has not responded to the Kyiv Independent’s request for reasons or more details about the expected structural change by publication time. The plan does not impact the other International Legion under the Defense Ministry’s military intelligence (HUR).

Founded in February 2022 at the request of President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Legion allowed foreigners to fight alongside the Ukrainian army, and has had both battlefield and political impact throughout the war.

The current plan involves the Legion’s three combat battalions being transferred separately to an assault regiment or brigade, an officer familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity. The officer, along with several legionnaires interviewed, said they are speaking out in an effort to preserve the Legion in its current form, arguing there is no need for a change.

It is unclear whether the assault regiment or brigade to which the legionnaires would be transferred will be under the command of Ground Forces or the newly created Assault Forces, according to the officer. The transfer is expected to be completed by the end of the year, the officer said, adding that the units would cease to exist under an independent umbrella of the Legion.

  • Wrufieotnak@feddit.org
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    20 hours ago

    Oh, you are perfectly right, Ukraine and Palestine are not the same. Ukraine never attacked Russia before Russia started the war.

    And no that doesn’t mean that Israel is right in what they are doing, it is still wrong and a genocide. But Hamas did attack Israel (which they led happen to have a reason for their conquest). Israel is sadly just more effective than Russia at what they are doing. Both are invading other countries for bullshit reasons though.

    So no, I don’t think like you.

    • RiverRock@lemmy.ml
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      19 hours ago

      Ukraine never attacked Russia before Russia started the war.

      Yeah they were just doing ten years of ethnic cleansing against ethnic Russians in their own country, not like Israel at all🤷‍♂️

      Both are invading other countries for bullshit reasons though.

      Damn, whitewashing two genocidal regimes with one sentence, that’s real efficiency baybee

      So no, I don’t think like you.

      You people all try to do mic drops like lyrical miracle rappers and it’s so embarassing

      • Wrufieotnak@feddit.org
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        19 hours ago

        OK, I know tankies live in a different reality, but you seriously need to explain to me how you interpret me as defending Israel.

        • BrainInABox@lemmy.ml
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          4 minutes ago

          Tankie is when you aren’t an apologist for genocide.

          You were activity repeating Israeli lies to defend it.

        • RiverRock@lemmy.ml
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          18 hours ago

          OK, I know tankies live in a different reality

          You can just call it reality

          how you interpret me as defending Israel.

          Whitewashing, I said. Pay attention, because words mean things. By referring to what the zionist entity is doing as “an invasion” and not a genocide, and especially in order to try and draw a comparison to Russia’s decidedly non genocidal actions, you are downplaying the full on extermination campaign being waged by Israel, much like how people calling it the “Israel-Hamas War” in the beginning were downplaying it.

          Now address the Ukranian coup government’s ten years of ethnic cleansing.

          • Wrufieotnak@feddit.org
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            17 hours ago

            OK, thanks for proving that you don’t even read what I write. Please read again my admittedly longer than 3 word comment.

            If it is still too long, small hint: search for the word genocide, you will find it in there, I promise. And before you accuse me of editing it in, just check the log files and you will see, it was there before you wrote your comment.

            So with that said, have a nice day.

            • BrainInABox@lemmy.ml
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              3 minutes ago

              I read what you wrote. It was active genocide apologia.

              So with that said, have a nice day.

              Go back to reddit, you fucking loser

            • RiverRock@lemmy.ml
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              15 hours ago

              is asked to address the ethnic cleansing they are whitewashing

              immediately runs away

              Perfect, no notes

              • Wrufieotnak@feddit.org
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                8 hours ago

                Is asked to read comments completely

                Ignores it and doubles down on “you didn’t say the word genocide” although I literally used the word genocide to describe what Israel is doing

                Yeah, further interaction with that person sounds like a great use of my time XD

                • RiverRock@lemmy.ml
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                  7 hours ago

                  doubles down on “you didn’t say the word genocide”

                  You came back hours after you said you left to make up some shit i never said and pretend that’s what the argument was about? World-class Not Mad behavior, seek help

                  Liberals and willfully misunderstanding shit in bad faith to continue supporting nazis, utterly iconic

                  But hey if you’re gonna come stamping back, go ahead and address the Ukranian coup government’s ten years of ethnic cleansing.

                  • Wrufieotnak@feddit.org
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                    6 hours ago

                    Wow, reality distortion field is strong with you. But nice to see that you project your inability to properly read on me.

                    Edit: and why am I coming back? Because I find it fascinating to see how much you deny your own words, written just above. I want to see how much more reality you deny. It is fascinating in a certain morbid kind of way.