The National Guard is setting up a new center for foreign volunteers
The National Guard of Ukraine plans to establish a Center for Recruiting Foreigners and Stateless Persons in the near future. It is intended to simplify and expedite the recruitment of foreigners into contract military service, particularly into combat units.
Interior Minister Ivan Vygivskyi announced the creation of the new center. According to him, this decision stems from the needs of the National Guard’s combat brigades. During his field visit, the minister spoke with military personnel, border guards, rescue workers, and police officers. Separately, he received requests from National Guard brigade commanders asking for improvements to the process of recruiting foreigners into combat units.
Experts have been working on this issue over the past few weeks. As a result, the Ministry of Internal Affairs decided to establish a separate center dedicated specifically to recruiting foreigners and stateless persons. “In the near future, a Center for the Recruitment of Foreigners and Stateless Persons will be established within the National Guard of Ukraine. This will significantly streamline and accelerate the process of recruiting foreigners for contract service in the National Guard,” Vygivsky stated.
The center is intended to speed up recruitment
The main goal of the new unit is to eliminate unnecessary delays in processing foreigners who wish to serve in the National Guard. Currently, foreigners and stateless persons can enlist in the Ukrainian military on a contract basis. The law requires them to undergo a special screening, professional and psychological assessment, physical fitness test, and verification of compliance with other requirements.
A dedicated Recruitment Center is intended to centralize this process in one location and assist candidates in completing the necessary procedures. At the same time, the final decision on acceptance into service depends on whether the individual meets the established requirements. The government is expected to review a draft experimental resolution in the near future that will define the operating procedures for such a center.
Foreign nationals are already serving in the Ukrainian military
Foreign citizens and stateless persons may serve in the Ukrainian Armed Forces under contract. A separate procedure for enlistment applies to them. In 2024, the Cabinet of Ministers approved regulations on the Center for the Recruitment of Foreigners and Stateless Persons. These regulations provide for centralized work with candidates, their support, the organization of background checks, and their subsequent assignment to the appropriate military units.
Currently, such a center operates within a system coordinated by the Ministry of Defense. A new unit within the National Guard is intended to specifically meet the needs of this particular military formation. In the Ukrainian military, foreign volunteers serve in various roles. They can join units where there are relevant positions and a need for personnel.
Why This Is Important for Combat Brigades
According to Vygivsky, the issue of recruitment is particularly important for units operating directly near the front lines. In combat brigades, decisions regarding personnel often need to be made quickly. If a candidate’s processing is delayed due to bureaucratic procedures, this can affect the staffing of units.
That is why National Guard commanders approached the Ministry of Internal Affairs with proposals to change the approach to recruiting foreigners. The new center should help make this process clearer and faster. “Strengthening the capabilities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ combat units is one of our priorities,” Vygivsky emphasized.
How the new center will operate
So far, the final operating procedures for the National Guard’s Recruitment Center for Foreigners and Stateless Persons have not yet been approved. First, the government must review the corresponding draft of an experimental resolution. The center is expected to become the main point of contact for foreigners who wish to join the National Guard. There, candidates will be able to obtain the necessary information and complete the required procedures.
At the same time, the creation of the center does not mean that background checks for foreigners will be eliminated. As before, candidates must meet the requirements of Ukrainian law and complete the necessary procedures before being enlisted. Thus, this is not about simplifying the requirements for foreign military personnel, but about streamlining the recruitment process itself.
For the National Guard, this should serve as another tool for more rapidly staffing units, particularly those carrying out combat missions. The government is expected to review the documents necessary to launch the new center in the near future. Interior Minister Ivan Vyhovskyi announced this on Facebook.
