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Ukrainian volunteer battalions

March 03, 2023

Ukrainian volunteer battalions (Ukrainian: Добровольчі батальйони, romanized: Dobrovolchi bataliony, more formally Добровольчі військові формування України, Dobrovolchi viiskovi formuvannia Ukrainy, 'Volunteer military formations of Ukraine', or abbreviated Добробати, Dobrobaty) were militias and paramilitary groups mobilized as a response to the perceived state of weakness and unwillingness of the regular Armed Forces to counter rising separatism in spring 2014.[1] They trace their origins to the "Maidan Self-Defense" militias formed during the Euromaidan in 2013.[2] The earliest of these volunteer units were later formalized into military, special police and paramilitary formations in a response to Russian military intervention in Ukraine.[3][4] Most of the formations were formed or placed under command of government agencies of Ministry of Internal Affairs — as "Special Tasks Patrol Police" — and Ministry of Defence — as "Territorial defence battalions". There was minority of battalions that were independent.

11th territorial defence battalion "Kyivan Rus" fighter, 2014

Most of the Battalions initially didn't receive money from the government and were self-funded, some were backed by Ukrainian oligarchs[5] while others received donations or started internet crowdfunding campaigns.[6][7][8]

As of September 2014, 37 volunteer battalions took active part in battles of the War in Donbas.[9] Some of the battalion fighters are former Euromaidan activists, but their social background is highly diverse. They include students and military officers.[10] They enjoy a high level of support in Ukrainian society ranked second among the most respected institutions in the country. However, their close ties with Ukrainian oligarchs bring up a high risk of the volunteer formations becoming politicized or turning into private armies.[5] Ordered to leave the front lines in 2015, the volunteer battalion phenomenon was largely over within a year of its beginning.[11] Most units kept existing but were fully integrated as units of either the Ukrainian Army or the National Guard of Ukraine.

Volunteer formations

Ministry of Defence

Main article: Territorial defence battalions (Ukraine)

Since spring 2014, Ministry of Defence had formed 32 volunteer battalions. The ones under the Ministry of Defence command were officially named the "Territorial Defence Battalions".[12] At the end of 2014, territorial defence battalions were reorganized as motorized infantry battalions.[13] The idea of the territorial defence battalions, however, remained and in 2021 the Territorial Defense Forces were later created as a more formal and structured version of the territorial defence battalions.[14]

Besides territorial defence battalions, several regular units of Armed Forces of Ukraine were formed from volunteers, such as 3rd Airmobile Battalion "Phoenix" or 54th Reconnaissance Battalion "UNSO".[4] In 2015 the 46th Spetsnaz Battalion "Donbas Ukraine" was created from volunteers of Donbas Battalion who decided to switch from National Guard of Ukraine to Armed Forces.

Ministry of Internal Affairs

According to Interior Minister Avakov, by mid-April 2016 205 service personnel of the ministry's volunteer battalions had been killed in action, National Guardsmen included.[15]

 
Volunteer of the "Sich" Special Tasks Patrol Police battalion in 2014.

Special Tasks Patrol Police

Main article: Special Tasks Patrol Police (Ukraine)

Ministry of Internal Affairs had established 56 special tasks patrol police units sized from company to battalion.[16] After several reorganizations, this number shrunk to 33 units.[12]

Notable Units formed between 2014 and 2015 include:

 
The Donbas Battalion during the early stages of the Battle of Ilovaisk

National Guard of Ukraine

Main article: National Guard of Ukraine

The National Guard of Ukraine, subordinated to Ministry of Internal Affairs, had established several reserve battalions, among which were Donbas Battalion and General Kulchytskiy Battalion formed from volunteers and Maidan activists.[17]

Notable Units formed between 2014 and 2015 include:

 
Soldiers of the Volunteer Battalion "Azov" in 2014.

Independent battalions

The following battalions were not controlled by either the Ministry of Internal Affairs nor the Ministry of Defense, but independently operate.

Ukrainian Volunteer Corps

Main article: Ukrainian Volunteer Corps
 
Ukrainian Volunteer Corps, 2014

Right Sector had formed several battalions that are known as Ukrainian Volunteer Corps.[18] In spring 2015 there were attempts to integrate Ukrainian Volunteer Corps into the Ukrainian Army or National Guard.[3]

Battalion OUN

Battalion of "Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists" was operating in the area of Pisky, Donetsk.[19] The battalion was disbanded in September 2019; as one of the last units composed purely of volunteer soldiers.[20]

Aerorozvidka

Main article: Aerorozvidka

A unit specialized in aerial reconnaissance and drone warfare.[21] Aerorozvidka was nicknamed a "war startup" by some observers,[22] it began as a group of volunteer drone and IT enthusiasts. It used commercial drones to help the Ukrainian military forces.[22] It was later integrated into the Ukrainian Ground Forces.

Noman Çelebicihan Battalion

Main article: Noman Çelebicihan Battalion

The Noman Çelebicihan Battalion was one of the three reported battalions with majority Muslim membership.[23] It was composed mostly of ethnic Crimean Tatars and was based in the Kherson region bordering Crimea.[24] It did not participate in any combat operations. The battalion was formed and disbanded in 2016. Many of its members later joined other volunteer battalions or enlisted in the Ukrainian army. The battalion reportedly received assistance from Turkey.[25]

Foreign fighters

Main article: Foreign fighters in the Russo-Ukrainian War
 
Member of the Kyiv Cossack Regiment "T. Shevchenko" Territorial Defence Battalion in 2014.

The foreign fighter movement in 2014 was largely short-lived, with researcher Kacper Rekawek writing, "fighters arrived throughout the summer of 2014, and most of them were gone from Ukraine at some point in 2015, although some returned later, with a small group settling in Ukraine permanently."[26] By the end of 2015, Rekawek notes, "both sides took steps to professionalise their forces and incorporate the bottom-up organised volunteer battalions into e.g. the Ukrainian National Guard or, in the case of the 'separatists,' into the 'army corps.' This effectively meant an end to foreign fighter recruitment for this conflict and very few (new) foreigners joined either side after the end of 2015."[26]

On 6 October 2014 the Ukrainian parliament voted to allow foreign fighters to join the Ukrainian military. That December, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko promised that foreign fighters who join the Ukrainian military will receive citizenship. However, the Kyiv Post reported that by October 2015, only one foreign fighter from Russia had been granted citizenship. The same month, 30 foreign fighters (from Belarus, Georgia, and Russia) rallied in Kyiv for Ukrainian citizenship.[27]

An analysis of foreign fighters by Arkadiusz Legieć, a Senior Analyst at the Polish Institute of International Affairs, estimated that about 17,241 foreign fighters fought in Ukraine between 2014 and 2019. 3,879 of those foreign fighters supported Ukraine and joined foreign volunteer battalions. The largest group of foreign fighters in Ukraine was approximately 3,000 Russian citizen volunteers. The second-largest group consisted of approximately 300 Belarusians. The third-largest group consisted of approximately 120 Georgians. The only other country to exceed 50 foreign fighters was Croatia, with approximately 60 fighters. Other countries whose nationals supported Ukraine included Albania (15), Australia (5), Austria (35), Azerbaijan (20), Belgium (1), Bosnia and Herzegovina (5), Bulgaria (6), Canada (10), Czech Republic (5), Denmark (15), Estonia (10), Finland (15), France (15), Germany (15), Greece (2), Ireland (7), Israel (15), Italy (35), Latvia (8), Lithuania (15), Moldova (15), Kosovo (4), Netherlands (3), North Macedonia (4), Norway (10), Poland (10), Portugal (1), Romania (4), Serbia (6), Slovakia (8), Sweden (25), Turkey (30), the United Kingdom (10), and the United States (15).[28][better source needed]

 
Mamuka Mamulashvili, the commander of the Georgian National Legion. Mamulashvili is Georgian national and a veteran of the Abkhazia War, First Chechen War and Russo-Georgian War who joined Ukraine at the outbreak of the Donbas war.

Georgian National Legion

Main article: Georgian Legion (Ukraine)

The Georgian National Legion is a paramilitary unit formed of more than 700 soldiers, mostly ethnic Georgian volunteers fighting on the side of Ukraine in the War in Donbas and Russian invasion of Ukraine. The unit was organized in 2014 with the declared aim "to stand up to Russian aggression". The group is commanded by Mamuka Mamulashvili, a veteran Georgian officer. There are also members of Georgian national legion that had experience from the Chechen wars. After the start of Russian invasion of Ukraine more people of different nationalities applied to join Georgian National Legion.The GNL has been seen multiple times in news reports and interviews and can be seen as one of the more know Volunteer battalions.

Dzhokhar Dudayev battalion

Main article: Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion

The Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion, originally named the "Chechen battalion", was set up in March 2014 and is one of several Chechen volunteer battalions fighting on the side of Ukraine. It was later named after Chechnya's first president and leader Dzhokhar Dudayev. The battalion has been under the command of Adam Osmayev after Isa Munayev was killed in action during the Battle of Debaltseve.[29] The battalion is made up mostly of Chechen volunteers, many of whom fought in the First and Second Chechen War. Members of the battalion view the war as part of a broader struggle against Russian imperialism and the Kadyrov regime.[30] The battalion specializes in counter-subversion.[31] Since the start of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the battalion has participated in the defence of Kyiv and has taken part in numerous battles and offensives such as the Kharkiv offensive.[32][33] Since November 2022, the battalion is involved in the Battle of Bakhmut.[32]

Sheikh Mansur Battalion

Main article: Sheikh Mansur Battalion

The Sheikh Mansur Battalion is one of several Chechen volunteer battalions fighting on the side of Ukraine. It is named after an 18th-century Chechen leader who fought against the Russian expansion into the Caucasus. Following its establishment in 2014, it has been involved in the Donbas war. It was reported to be defending the front line near Mariupol in 2015.[34] Despite its staunch pro-Ukrainian stance, the battalion suffered sanctions from the Ukrainian government (with some members being extradited to Russia), and as a result, the battalion was disbanded in September 2019; as one of the last units composed purely of volunteer soldiers.[35][36][20] However, during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the battalion was reported to be active again.[37][38][39] Since then, the battalion has been fighting in numerous major battles such as the Battle of Kyiv, Battle of Mariupol and Battle of Sievierodonetsk. The battalion has been involved in intense battles in the Battle of Bakhmut and Battle of Soledar since November 2022.[40][41]

Separate Special-Purpose Battalion

Main article: Separate Special-Purpose battalion

The Separate Special-Purpose Battalion (OBON) of the Ministry of Defense of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria is one of several Chechen volunteer battalions fighting on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is functioning as part of the Foreign Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine. It was created by Akhmed Zakayev on July 31, 2022, on the basis of a Chechen formation that has been fighting on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.[42][43]

Similar later formations

Tactical Group "Belarus"

Main article: Tactical group "Belarus"

Tactical Group "Belarus" is a volunteer group of Belarusian nationals who were part of the Ukrainian volunteer battalions.

Territorial Defense Forces

Main article: Territorial Defense Forces (Ukraine)

In 2022, the former Territorial defence battalions were reorganized into a more formal and structured independent branch of the armed forces known as the Territorial Defense Forces.[14] They serve as a spiritual successor of the volunteer battalions, allowing local civilian volunteers to join and do local territorial defense against an invasion.[14]

International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine

Main article: International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine

Following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by forces of the Russian Federation, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged foreign volunteers to travel to Ukrainian embassies across the world to join a new 'International Brigade' of the Ukrainian armed forces.

Freedom of Russia Legion

Main article: Freedom of Russia Legion

Freedom of Russia Legion was formed following the 2022 invasion, which made up of defectors of the Russian armed forces. The legion also reportedly consists of volunteers from the Russian opposition.

References

  1. ^ Ilmari Käihkö, "The War Between People in Ukraine" 27 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine, The War on the Rocks, 21 March 2018
  2. ^ Gazeta.ua (7 February 2014). ""Армію" самооборони Майдану збільшать до 30-40 тисяч - Парубій". Gazeta.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  3. ^ a b Pike, John. "Ukrainian Military Personnel". www.globalsecurity.org. from the original on 27 December 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Volunteer battalions in eastern Ukraine: who are they? | UACRISIS.ORG". Ukraine crisis media center. 16 March 2015. from the original on 18 December 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  5. ^ a b Margarete Klein. Ukraine’s volunteer battalions – advantages and challenges 11 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine Swedish Defence Research Agency Report, RUFS Briefing No. 27, April 2015
  6. ^ Weiss, Michael. "Crowdfunding the War in Ukraine -- From Manhattan". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Help Donbas Battalion". People’s Project.com. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  8. ^ Morgan, Jared (13 November 2015). "Top-10 crowdfunded projects that volunteers gave the Ukrainian militia". Euromaidan Press. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Они воюют за Украину: список батальонов, которые принимают участие в АТО". Слово и Дело (in Russian). from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  10. ^ Albuquerque, Adriana (2015). "Volunteer Battalions". Ukraine. A Defence Sector Reform Assessment. Proceedings of the ... Swedish American Workshop on Modeling and Simulation: Sawmas. p. 22. ISSN 1650-1942.
  11. ^ Käihkö, Ilmari (3 April 2018). "A nation-in-the-making, in arms: control of force, strategy and the Ukrainian Volunteer Battalions". Defence Studies. 18 (2): 147–166. doi:10.1080/14702436.2018.1461013. ISSN 1470-2436.
  12. ^ a b "Heroes or Villains? Volunteer Battalions in Post-Maidan Ukraine" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  13. ^ "Структура військ територіальної оборони Збройних Сил України". www.ukrmilitary.com. from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  14. ^ a b c Ponomarenko, Illia (7 January 2022). "Who can and can't join Ukraine's Territorial Defense Force". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  15. ^ "Avakov speaks of losses of National Guard". UNIAN. 18 April 2016. from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  16. ^ . МВС. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  17. ^ "National Guard volunteer battalions. "Donbass" – the path of formation | НГУ". ngu.gov.ua. from the original on 8 February 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  18. ^ "Right Sector leader proposes setting up 'Ukrainian Volunteer Corps' | KyivPost". KyivPost. 14 May 2015. from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  19. ^ . KyivPost. 10 April 2015. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  20. ^ a b "Volunteer Battalions Hand in Their Weapons in Eastern Ukraine". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 13 September 2019. from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  21. ^ Parker, Charlie. "Specialist Ukrainian drone unit picks off invading Russian forces as they sleep". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  22. ^ a b Ukraine’s Drone Warriors. Patrick Tucker (2015). atlanticcouncil.org
  23. ^ Andrew E. Kramer. Islamic Battalions, Stocked With Chechens, Aid Ukraine in War With Rebels 27 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine. New York Times. 7 July 2015.
  24. ^ . QHA. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  25. ^ . QHA. Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  26. ^ a b Rekawek, Kacper (18 March 2022). "Ukraine's Foreign Legion: 12 important points". University of Oslo. Center for Research on Extremism. from the original on 18 March 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  27. ^ Goncharova, Olena (18 October 2015). "Foreign fighters struggle for legal status in Ukraine". Kyiv Post. from the original on 10 December 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  28. ^ "WHITE SUPREMACY EXTREMISM: The Transnational Rise of the Violent White Supremacist Movement" (PDF). The Soufan Center. September 2019. (PDF) from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  29. ^ Mamon, Marcin (27 February 2015). "The Final Days of a Chechen Commander Fighting in Ukraine". The Intercept. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  30. ^ Oleg Sukhov. . Kyiv Post. 27 March 2015.
  31. ^ Chechen fighter transfers struggle against Kremlin to Ukraine 19 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine, Chechen fighter transfers struggle against Kremlin to Ukraine, Kyiv Post (27 May 2014)
  32. ^ a b Alexander Query; Francis Farrell (25 November 2022). "Meet the Chechens fighting Russia in Ukraine". Kyivindependent. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  33. ^ Ghaedi, Monir (24 March 2022). "Chechen and Tatar Muslims take up arms to fight for Ukraine". Deutsche Welle. from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  34. ^ Veteran Chechen fighters locked in fierce battle with Russian-backed militants in east Ukraine 2 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Ukraine Today. 18 May 2015.
  35. ^ "Opinion | Ukraine has a duty to remove North Caucasian volunteer fighters from the sanctions list".
  36. ^ ""Чеченцы – это люди, которые за нас". Представитель президента Украины – о добровольцах и экстрадициях".
  37. ^ "Foreign Fighters: Taking the Fight to Russia in Ukraine". Balkan Insight. 22 March 2022. from the original on 22 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  38. ^ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Chechen and Tatar Muslims take up arms to fight for Ukraine | DW | 24.03.2022". DW.COM. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  39. ^ "'We have only one enemy — this is Russia': the Chechens taking up arms for Ukraine". OC Media. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  40. ^ "Окупанти показали відео з "кадирівцями" в Бахмуті. Насправді на кадрах — чеченські добровольці ЗСУ (ВІДЕО, ФОТО)". Вільне Радіо. December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  41. ^ "Reconnaissance of the Chechen battalion named after Sheikh Mansur. Soledar. Bakhmut region". (video). Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  42. ^ "Appointment of the OBON Armed Forces of the CRI in Ukraine". The Chechen Press. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  43. ^ "Press conference in Kiyv". The Chechen Press. Retrieved 25 September 2022.

Sources

  • Rosaria Puglisi, Heroes or Villains? Volunteer Battalions in Post-Maidan Ukraine // Istituto Affari Internazionali, March 2015
  • Margaret Klein, Briefing No. 27 .pdf Ukraine’s volunteer battalions – advantages and challenge // Swedish Defence Research Agency, April 2015
  • Ilmari Käihkö, A nation-in-the-making, in arms: control of force, strategy and the Ukrainian Volunteer Battalions, Defence Studies, Volume 18 Issue 2, 2018, pp. 147–166.
  • Ilmari Käihkö, The War Between People in Ukraine, The War on the Rocks, 21 March 2018

March 03, 2023
ukrainian, volunteer, battalions, ukrainian, Добровольчі, батальйони, romanized, dobrovolchi, bataliony, more, formally, Добровольчі, військові, формування, України, dobrovolchi, viiskovi, formuvannia, ukrainy, volunteer, military, formations, ukraine, abbrevi. Ukrainian volunteer battalions Ukrainian Dobrovolchi bataljoni romanized Dobrovolchi bataliony more formally Dobrovolchi vijskovi formuvannya Ukrayini Dobrovolchi viiskovi formuvannia Ukrainy Volunteer military formations of Ukraine or abbreviated Dobrobati Dobrobaty were militias and paramilitary groups mobilized as a response to the perceived state of weakness and unwillingness of the regular Armed Forces to counter rising separatism in spring 2014 1 They trace their origins to the Maidan Self Defense militias formed during the Euromaidan in 2013 2 The earliest of these volunteer units were later formalized into military special police and paramilitary formations in a response to Russian military intervention in Ukraine 3 4 Most of the formations were formed or placed under command of government agencies of Ministry of Internal Affairs as Special Tasks Patrol Police and Ministry of Defence as Territorial defence battalions There was minority of battalions that were independent 11th territorial defence battalion Kyivan Rus fighter 2014 Most of the Battalions initially didn t receive money from the government and were self funded some were backed by Ukrainian oligarchs 5 while others received donations or started internet crowdfunding campaigns 6 7 8 As of September 2014 37 volunteer battalions took active part in battles of the War in Donbas 9 Some of the battalion fighters are former Euromaidan activists but their social background is highly diverse They include students and military officers 10 They enjoy a high level of support in Ukrainian society ranked second among the most respected institutions in the country However their close ties with Ukrainian oligarchs bring up a high risk of the volunteer formations becoming politicized or turning into private armies 5 Ordered to leave the front lines in 2015 the volunteer battalion phenomenon was largely over within a year of its beginning 11 Most units kept existing but were fully integrated as units of either the Ukrainian Army or the National Guard of Ukraine Contents 1 Volunteer formations 1 1 Ministry of Defence 1 2 Ministry of Internal Affairs 1 2 1 Special Tasks Patrol Police 1 2 2 National Guard of Ukraine 1 3 Independent battalions 1 3 1 Ukrainian Volunteer Corps 1 3 2 Battalion OUN 1 3 3 Aerorozvidka 1 3 4 Noman Celebicihan Battalion 1 4 Foreign fighters 1 4 1 Georgian National Legion 1 4 2 Dzhokhar Dudayev battalion 1 4 3 Sheikh Mansur Battalion 1 4 4 Separate Special Purpose Battalion 2 Similar later formations 2 1 Tactical Group Belarus 2 2 Territorial Defense Forces 2 3 International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine 2 4 Freedom of Russia Legion 3 References 4 SourcesVolunteer formations EditMinistry of Defence Edit Main article Territorial defence battalions Ukraine Since spring 2014 Ministry of Defence had formed 32 volunteer battalions The ones under the Ministry of Defence command were officially named the Territorial Defence Battalions 12 At the end of 2014 territorial defence battalions were reorganized as motorized infantry battalions 13 The idea of the territorial defence battalions however remained and in 2021 the Territorial Defense Forces were later created as a more formal and structured version of the territorial defence battalions 14 Besides territorial defence battalions several regular units of Armed Forces of Ukraine were formed from volunteers such as 3rd Airmobile Battalion Phoenix or 54th Reconnaissance Battalion UNSO 4 In 2015 the 46th Spetsnaz Battalion Donbas Ukraine was created from volunteers of Donbas Battalion who decided to switch from National Guard of Ukraine to Armed Forces Ministry of Internal Affairs Edit According to Interior Minister Avakov by mid April 2016 205 service personnel of the ministry s volunteer battalions had been killed in action National Guardsmen included 15 Volunteer of the Sich Special Tasks Patrol Police battalion in 2014 Special Tasks Patrol Police Edit Main article Special Tasks Patrol Police Ukraine Ministry of Internal Affairs had established 56 special tasks patrol police units sized from company to battalion 16 After several reorganizations this number shrunk to 33 units 12 Notable Units formed between 2014 and 2015 include Dnipro 1 Regiment Kharkiv Police Battalion Poltava Battalion Sich Battalion Svyatyi Mykolai Battalion The Donbas Battalion during the early stages of the Battle of Ilovaisk National Guard of Ukraine Edit Main article National Guard of Ukraine The National Guard of Ukraine subordinated to Ministry of Internal Affairs had established several reserve battalions among which were Donbas Battalion and General Kulchytskiy Battalion formed from volunteers and Maidan activists 17 Notable Units formed between 2014 and 2015 include Soldiers of the Volunteer Battalion Azov in 2014 Azov Battalion Donbas BattalionIndependent battalions Edit The following battalions were not controlled by either the Ministry of Internal Affairs nor the Ministry of Defense but independently operate Ukrainian Volunteer Corps Edit Main article Ukrainian Volunteer Corps Ukrainian Volunteer Corps 2014 Right Sector had formed several battalions that are known as Ukrainian Volunteer Corps 18 In spring 2015 there were attempts to integrate Ukrainian Volunteer Corps into the Ukrainian Army or National Guard 3 Battalion OUN Edit Battalion of Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists was operating in the area of Pisky Donetsk 19 The battalion was disbanded in September 2019 as one of the last units composed purely of volunteer soldiers 20 Aerorozvidka Edit Main article Aerorozvidka A unit specialized in aerial reconnaissance and drone warfare 21 Aerorozvidka was nicknamed a war startup by some observers 22 it began as a group of volunteer drone and IT enthusiasts It used commercial drones to help the Ukrainian military forces 22 It was later integrated into the Ukrainian Ground Forces Noman Celebicihan Battalion Edit Main article Noman Celebicihan Battalion The Noman Celebicihan Battalion was one of the three reported battalions with majority Muslim membership 23 It was composed mostly of ethnic Crimean Tatars and was based in the Kherson region bordering Crimea 24 It did not participate in any combat operations The battalion was formed and disbanded in 2016 Many of its members later joined other volunteer battalions or enlisted in the Ukrainian army The battalion reportedly received assistance from Turkey 25 Foreign fighters Edit Main article Foreign fighters in the Russo Ukrainian War Member of the Kyiv Cossack Regiment T Shevchenko Territorial Defence Battalion in 2014 The foreign fighter movement in 2014 was largely short lived with researcher Kacper Rekawek writing fighters arrived throughout the summer of 2014 and most of them were gone from Ukraine at some point in 2015 although some returned later with a small group settling in Ukraine permanently 26 By the end of 2015 Rekawek notes both sides took steps to professionalise their forces and incorporate the bottom up organised volunteer battalions into e g the Ukrainian National Guard or in the case of the separatists into the army corps This effectively meant an end to foreign fighter recruitment for this conflict and very few new foreigners joined either side after the end of 2015 26 On 6 October 2014 the Ukrainian parliament voted to allow foreign fighters to join the Ukrainian military That December Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko promised that foreign fighters who join the Ukrainian military will receive citizenship However the Kyiv Post reported that by October 2015 only one foreign fighter from Russia had been granted citizenship The same month 30 foreign fighters from Belarus Georgia and Russia rallied in Kyiv for Ukrainian citizenship 27 An analysis of foreign fighters by Arkadiusz Legiec a Senior Analyst at the Polish Institute of International Affairs estimated that about 17 241 foreign fighters fought in Ukraine between 2014 and 2019 3 879 of those foreign fighters supported Ukraine and joined foreign volunteer battalions The largest group of foreign fighters in Ukraine was approximately 3 000 Russian citizen volunteers The second largest group consisted of approximately 300 Belarusians The third largest group consisted of approximately 120 Georgians The only other country to exceed 50 foreign fighters was Croatia with approximately 60 fighters Other countries whose nationals supported Ukraine included Albania 15 Australia 5 Austria 35 Azerbaijan 20 Belgium 1 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 Bulgaria 6 Canada 10 Czech Republic 5 Denmark 15 Estonia 10 Finland 15 France 15 Germany 15 Greece 2 Ireland 7 Israel 15 Italy 35 Latvia 8 Lithuania 15 Moldova 15 Kosovo 4 Netherlands 3 North Macedonia 4 Norway 10 Poland 10 Portugal 1 Romania 4 Serbia 6 Slovakia 8 Sweden 25 Turkey 30 the United Kingdom 10 and the United States 15 28 better source needed Mamuka Mamulashvili the commander of the Georgian National Legion Mamulashvili is Georgian national and a veteran of the Abkhazia War First Chechen War and Russo Georgian War who joined Ukraine at the outbreak of the Donbas war Georgian National Legion Edit Main article Georgian Legion Ukraine The Georgian National Legion is a paramilitary unit formed of more than 700 soldiers mostly ethnic Georgian volunteers fighting on the side of Ukraine in the War in Donbas and Russian invasion of Ukraine The unit was organized in 2014 with the declared aim to stand up to Russian aggression The group is commanded by Mamuka Mamulashvili a veteran Georgian officer There are also members of Georgian national legion that had experience from the Chechen wars After the start of Russian invasion of Ukraine more people of different nationalities applied to join Georgian National Legion The GNL has been seen multiple times in news reports and interviews and can be seen as one of the more know Volunteer battalions Dzhokhar Dudayev battalion Edit Main article Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion The Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion originally named the Chechen battalion was set up in March 2014 and is one of several Chechen volunteer battalions fighting on the side of Ukraine It was later named after Chechnya s first president and leader Dzhokhar Dudayev The battalion has been under the command of Adam Osmayev after Isa Munayev was killed in action during the Battle of Debaltseve 29 The battalion is made up mostly of Chechen volunteers many of whom fought in the First and Second Chechen War Members of the battalion view the war as part of a broader struggle against Russian imperialism and the Kadyrov regime 30 The battalion specializes in counter subversion 31 Since the start of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine the battalion has participated in the defence of Kyiv and has taken part in numerous battles and offensives such as the Kharkiv offensive 32 33 Since November 2022 the battalion is involved in the Battle of Bakhmut 32 Sheikh Mansur Battalion Edit Main article Sheikh Mansur Battalion The Sheikh Mansur Battalion is one of several Chechen volunteer battalions fighting on the side of Ukraine It is named after an 18th century Chechen leader who fought against the Russian expansion into the Caucasus Following its establishment in 2014 it has been involved in the Donbas war It was reported to be defending the front line near Mariupol in 2015 34 Despite its staunch pro Ukrainian stance the battalion suffered sanctions from the Ukrainian government with some members being extradited to Russia and as a result the battalion was disbanded in September 2019 as one of the last units composed purely of volunteer soldiers 35 36 20 However during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine the battalion was reported to be active again 37 38 39 Since then the battalion has been fighting in numerous major battles such as the Battle of Kyiv Battle of Mariupol and Battle of Sievierodonetsk The battalion has been involved in intense battles in the Battle of Bakhmut and Battle of Soledar since November 2022 40 41 Separate Special Purpose Battalion Edit Main article Separate Special Purpose battalion The Separate Special Purpose Battalion OBON of the Ministry of Defense of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria is one of several Chechen volunteer battalions fighting on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine It is functioning as part of the Foreign Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine It was created by Akhmed Zakayev on July 31 2022 on the basis of a Chechen formation that has been fighting on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since Russia s full scale invasion of Ukraine 42 43 Similar later formations EditTactical Group Belarus Edit Main article Tactical group Belarus Tactical Group Belarus is a volunteer group of Belarusian nationals who were part of the Ukrainian volunteer battalions Territorial Defense Forces Edit Main article Territorial Defense Forces Ukraine In 2022 the former Territorial defence battalions were reorganized into a more formal and structured independent branch of the armed forces known as the Territorial Defense Forces 14 They serve as a spiritual successor of the volunteer battalions allowing local civilian volunteers to join and do local territorial defense against an invasion 14 International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine Edit Main article International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine Following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by forces of the Russian Federation Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged foreign volunteers to travel to Ukrainian embassies across the world to join a new International Brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces Freedom of Russia Legion Edit Main article Freedom of Russia Legion Freedom of Russia Legion was formed following the 2022 invasion which made up of defectors of the Russian armed forces The legion also reportedly consists of volunteers from the Russian opposition References Edit Ilmari Kaihko The War Between People in Ukraine Archived 27 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine The War on the Rocks 21 March 2018 Gazeta ua 7 February 2014 Armiyu samooboroni Majdanu zbilshat do 30 40 tisyach Parubij Gazeta ua in Ukrainian Retrieved 18 April 2022 a b Pike John Ukrainian Military Personnel www globalsecurity org Archived from the original on 27 December 2021 Retrieved 9 February 2017 a b Volunteer battalions in eastern Ukraine who are they UACRISIS ORG Ukraine crisis media center 16 March 2015 Archived from the original on 18 December 2019 Retrieved 22 January 2017 a b Margarete Klein Ukraine s volunteer battalions advantages and challenges Archived 11 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine Swedish Defence Research Agency Report RUFS Briefing No 27 April 2015 Weiss Michael Crowdfunding the War in Ukraine From Manhattan Foreign Policy Retrieved 20 April 2022 Help Donbas Battalion People s Project com Retrieved 20 April 2022 Morgan Jared 13 November 2015 Top 10 crowdfunded projects that volunteers gave the Ukrainian militia Euromaidan Press Retrieved 20 April 2022 Oni voyuyut za Ukrainu spisok batalonov kotorye prinimayut uchastie v ATO Slovo i Delo in Russian Archived from the original on 28 February 2022 Retrieved 11 March 2017 Albuquerque Adriana 2015 Volunteer Battalions Ukraine A Defence Sector Reform Assessment Proceedings of the Swedish American Workshop on Modeling and Simulation Sawmas p 22 ISSN 1650 1942 Kaihko Ilmari 3 April 2018 A nation in the making in arms control of force strategy and the Ukrainian Volunteer Battalions Defence Studies 18 2 147 166 doi 10 1080 14702436 2018 1461013 ISSN 1470 2436 a b Heroes or Villains Volunteer Battalions in Post Maidan Ukraine PDF Archived PDF from the original on 23 January 2022 Retrieved 22 January 2017 Struktura vijsk teritorialnoyi oboroni Zbrojnih Sil Ukrayini www ukrmilitary com Archived from the original on 27 February 2022 Retrieved 23 January 2017 a b c Ponomarenko Illia 7 January 2022 Who can and can t join Ukraine s Territorial Defense Force The Kyiv Independent Retrieved 20 March 2022 Avakov speaks of losses of National Guard UNIAN 18 April 2016 Archived from the original on 1 December 2017 Retrieved 18 April 2016 Nacpoliciya i Nacgvardiya mayut buti yak vi bijci dobrobativ Arsen Avakov FOTO VIDEO MVS Archived from the original on 26 February 2021 Retrieved 23 January 2017 National Guard volunteer battalions Donbass the path of formation NGU ngu gov ua Archived from the original on 8 February 2020 Retrieved 28 January 2017 Right Sector leader proposes setting up Ukrainian Volunteer Corps KyivPost KyivPost 14 May 2015 Archived from the original on 19 October 2017 Retrieved 22 January 2017 Ukrainian army command orders OUN volunteer battalion to leave Pisky Donetsk region KyivPost 10 April 2015 Archived from the original on 11 April 2015 Retrieved 15 June 2015 a b Volunteer Battalions Hand in Their Weapons in Eastern Ukraine Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty 13 September 2019 Archived from the original on 22 October 2021 Retrieved 13 September 2019 Parker Charlie Specialist Ukrainian drone unit picks off invading Russian forces as they sleep The Times ISSN 0140 0460 Retrieved 27 March 2022 a b Ukraine s Drone Warriors Patrick Tucker 2015 atlanticcouncil org Andrew E Kramer Islamic Battalions Stocked With Chechens Aid Ukraine in War With Rebels Archived 27 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine New York Times 7 July 2015 First pictures of the Batallion n a Noman Celebicihan posted QHA Archived from the original on 19 October 2017 Retrieved 21 February 2016 Crimean Tatar battalion got help from the Crimean Tatar diaspora of Turkey QHA Archived from the original on 11 October 2016 Retrieved 21 February 2016 a b Rekawek Kacper 18 March 2022 Ukraine s Foreign Legion 12 important points University of Oslo Center for Research on Extremism Archived from the original on 18 March 2022 Retrieved 19 March 2022 Goncharova Olena 18 October 2015 Foreign fighters struggle for legal status in Ukraine Kyiv Post Archived from the original on 10 December 2021 Retrieved 19 March 2022 WHITE SUPREMACY EXTREMISM The Transnational Rise of the Violent White Supremacist Movement PDF The Soufan Center September 2019 Archived PDF from the original on 31 January 2021 Retrieved 13 March 2022 Mamon Marcin 27 February 2015 The Final Days of a Chechen Commander Fighting in Ukraine The Intercept Retrieved 27 January 2020 Oleg Sukhov Russia s war against Ukraine renews Chechen animosities Kyiv Post 27 March 2015 Chechen fighter transfers struggle against Kremlin to Ukraine Archived 19 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine Chechen fighter transfers struggle against Kremlin to Ukraine Kyiv Post 27 May 2014 a b Alexander Query Francis Farrell 25 November 2022 Meet the Chechens fighting Russia in Ukraine Kyivindependent Retrieved 1 December 2022 Ghaedi Monir 24 March 2022 Chechen and Tatar Muslims take up arms to fight for Ukraine Deutsche Welle Archived from the original on 1 April 2022 Retrieved 1 April 2022 Veteran Chechen fighters locked in fierce battle with Russian backed militants in east Ukraine Archived 2 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine Ukraine Today 18 May 2015 Opinion Ukraine has a duty to remove North Caucasian volunteer fighters from the sanctions list Chechency eto lyudi kotorye za nas Predstavitel prezidenta Ukrainy o dobrovolcah i ekstradiciyah Foreign Fighters Taking the Fight to Russia in Ukraine Balkan Insight 22 March 2022 Archived from the original on 22 March 2022 Retrieved 23 March 2022 Welle www dw com Deutsche Chechen and Tatar Muslims take up arms to fight for Ukraine DW 24 03 2022 DW COM Retrieved 25 March 2022 We have only one enemy this is Russia the Chechens taking up arms for Ukraine OC Media Retrieved 25 March 2022 Okupanti pokazali video z kadirivcyami v Bahmuti Naspravdi na kadrah chechenski dobrovolci ZSU VIDEO FOTO Vilne Radio December 2022 Retrieved 8 December 2022 Reconnaissance of the Chechen battalion named after Sheikh Mansur Soledar Bakhmut region video Retrieved 8 December 2022 Appointment of the OBON Armed Forces of the CRI in Ukraine The Chechen Press Retrieved 25 September 2022 Press conference in Kiyv The Chechen Press Retrieved 25 September 2022 Sources EditRosaria Puglisi Heroes or Villains Volunteer Battalions in Post Maidan Ukraine Istituto Affari Internazionali March 2015 Margaret Klein Briefing No 27 pdf Ukraine s volunteer battalions advantages and challenge Swedish Defence Research Agency April 2015 Ilmari Kaihko A nation in the making in arms control of force strategy and the Ukrainian Volunteer Battalions Defence Studies Volume 18 Issue 2 2018 pp 147 166 Ilmari Kaihko The War Between People in Ukraine The War on the Rocks 21 March 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ukrainian volunteer battalions amp oldid 1140665294, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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