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How to volunteer to fight for Ukraine? 6 US special ops veterans prepare to join warfront

Following Zelenskyy's request for assistance, six American special ops veterans are on the Polish border, preparing to join the ongoing war

Following President Zelenskyy's request for assistance, six American special ops veterans are on the Polish border, preparing to enter Ukraine and join the war against Putin's forces. Three British veterans and a German have joined the men, all of whom have had NATO training and are ready to aid the Ukrainian territory defense units. They are said to be among the first to join Zelenskyy's newly formed International Legion of Ukraine's Territorial Defense, after a week of Ukrainian forces fighting the enemy. According to BuzzFeed News, two former US infantry commanders are also willing to fly to the region to provide leadership to the group. 

They will join a group of sixty British volunteers who are intending to travel to Ukraine to assist in the struggle. Mamuka Mamulashvili, 43, leader of the Georgian National Legion, has assembled these former Army and Special Forces personnel. Earlier, US veterans responding to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's requests to assist Ukraine in its war against Russia stated that red tape and a lack of direction from officials are delaying their attempts to join the war, which might cost Ukrainians their freedom. Many ex-US army and marine veterans said that they are ready to go, claiming it is their duty as Americans to help where they can.

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Some had volunteered their services to the Ukrainian Embassy in the United States the day Russia declared war, three days before Zelenskyy started the legion. However, they disclosed that their attempts to enroll have so far failed due to widespread uncertainty about how to apply and the embassy's refusal to answer queries. Former marine John Murphy, who now resides in South Carolina, thinks that such delays are wasting valuable time as Russian President Vladimir Putin's army intensifies its attack on Ukrainian citizens. He warned, “If they don’t get the help they need soon then Russia will take Ukraine. It’s admirable to see Ukrainian butchers and lawyers and traffic cops fighting to keep Russia out of their country but, if we’re being honest, a professional soldier is worth 15 guys with AK-47s if they don’t know how to use them.”

For US veterans interested in joining the worldwide legion, there appears to be little information accessible at this time. People were told to contact Ukrainian embassies in their native countries to volunteer, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. However, the website for the Ukrainian Embassy in the United States was inaccessible for much of the day following Mr. Zelenskyy's request. The only clear and easily accessible guidelines for applying appeared to come from an unnamed US official who spoke with Military Times after the outlet got many queries from veterans about how to enroll. According to Ukrinform, to join the International Legion of Territorial Defense, one must complete the following procedures.

Step 1: Contact the Ukrainian Embassy in your country to express your desire to join the International Legion of Ukraine's Territorial Defense.

Step 2: Get an overview of the papers and equipment you'll need.

Step 3: Bring the required documents to the embassy for an interview with a defense attaché and visa approval with a consul.

Step 4: Submit an application for admission to the Armed Forces of Ukraine's territorial defense for contractual military duty on a voluntary basis.

Step 5: Obtain directions on how to go to Ukraine, as well as the necessary paperwork and equipment.

Step 6: Enter Ukraine in a specific manner.

Step 7: Upon arriving in Ukraine, join the Foreign Legion of Ukraine'sTerritorial Defense by signing a contract to fight against Russian invaders with soldiers from other nations and Ukrainian forces.