As of: March 15, 2024, 4:43 p.m
By: Jakob Koch
Comments
Press
Split
The Foreign Legion of Ukraine calls itself the “International Legion” – an ex-Bundeswehr soldier who fought for unity in the east against Russia has now died.
© IMAGO (2) / Political-Moments / ZUMA Wire (Collage)
German fighters in the Ukraine war risk their lives.
An ex-Bundeswehr soldier was killed in an artillery attack.
His membership in the Foreign Legion ended tragically.
Kiev/Berlin – In the middle of the discussion about possible NATO troops in Ukraine, which French President Emmanuel Macron keeps fueling, the report of a dead German in the Ukraine war breaks out.
The ex-Bundeswehr soldier had joined the “International Legion”, the foreign legion of Ukraine.
The German was killed in a Russian artillery attack in the Ukraine war, reports the
editorial network Germany (RND).
The 37-year-old man, who called himself Stefan, was killed on Thursday.
Stefan worked with a drone reconnaissance unit out of a shelter that collapsed from a direct hit.
“By the time they managed to dig him out, he was already dead,” the Legion reported.
His acceptance into the Ukrainian Foreign Legion came a few months after the outbreak of war two years ago.
Requirements for the Foreign Legion: As a German citizen in the Ukrainian war against Russia
The Ukrainian Foreign Legion was founded in 2022 immediately after the outbreak of the Russian war of aggression.
At that time, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba advocated joining the “International Legion” - he declared that together they had defeated Hitler and they would also defeat Vladimir Putin.
The now deceased German answered the call just a few weeks later.
He was now described by his legion as “a true hero.”
The 37-year-old reported to the
RND
just months before his death that he did not always receive understanding for his efforts in his German homeland .
Stefan said at the time that he had been in the Bundeswehr for several years and had been deployed to Afghanistan several times.
Unit: |
International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine |
Lineup: |
February 27, 2022 |
Troop strength: |
unknown |
Origin of the fighters: |
From 58 states |
The Ukrainian government lists several requirements for joining the Foreign Legion on its website.
Accordingly, one is not allowed to have Ukrainian citizenship and must stand on the side of Ukraine.
You also have to be prepared to “actively participate in the fight for freedom and democracy in Europe”.
In addition, you should already have combat experience – “or want to gain it alongside the brave Ukrainian defenders”.
Joining the Foreign Legion in the war against Russia – Ukraine advises “experience and motivation”
Foreigners can join the Foreign Legion of Ukraine in various ways - the government itself advises "experience and motivation".
These are the steps the Ukrainian state recommends to volunteers:
My news
“Most disgusting German politician”: Ex-Ukraine ambassador loses his temper after Bundestag speech
Taurus surprise from Pistorius?
Bundeswehr should prepare cruise missiles
Only $13 per kill: Cheap “DragonFire” weapon aims to destroy Putin’s attacks in Ukraine
Partisans announce “massive attack on Putin’s troops” – thousands of Russian civilians flee
Russia is probably mobilizing in the tank camp - only bad equipment left? read
20 minutes ago
“Coalition for long-range rocket artillery” against Putin: Scholz announces “Weimar” agreement reading
Contacting the Ukrainian Embassy
Presentation of identity card and possibly Bundeswehr certificate
Conversation with the defense attaché and clarification of visa matters with the consul
Creating an application letter
Signing a contract
Receiving instructions for arrival in Ukraine, documents and military equipment
Trip to Ukraine
An exact number of how many volunteers belong to the international legion in the fight against Russia is not yet known,
Deutschlandfunk
recently reported .
According to media reports, around 20,000 people had applied to volunteer in the war by May last year.
As the Legion itself announced, the group includes people from the USA, Great Britain, Australia, Denmark and various countries in Europe, Asia and South America.
This information cannot be confirmed independently.
Treaty with Ukraine: Are you a German in the Foreign Legion? Are you liable to prosecution?
On March 2, 2022, Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser and Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann declared that the federal government would in principle not prevent its own citizens from traveling to Ukraine as fighters and entering into a contract with Ukraine.
The legal news portal
LTO
recently reported that in Germany “there is no criminal law that directly criminalizes fighting in an armed conflict abroad.”
According to the Interior, Justice and Foreign Ministries, Germans who officially join the Ukrainian army are only liable to prosecution in war if they violate international law.
However, in Germany it is a criminal offense to recruit a German for military service or to send him to a foreign armed force.
The 25-year-old ex-Bundeswehr soldier Jonas Kratzenberg also fought as a legionnaire in Irpin, Butscha and Donbas against Russia - until he was seriously injured by shrapnel throughout his body in a drone attack.
In an interview with the
Munich Merkur
, the man from Aachen describes what he experienced in the “International Legion” in the Ukraine war – he describes the Ukraine war as “nothing new in the West” with combat drones.