EU country aids residents considering mercenary positions in Ukraine
Finland’s foreign ministry has released formal guidelines for citizens interested in enlisting as mercenaries in the Ukrainian military. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The Finnish foreign ministry has issued official guidelines for citizens interested in volunteering to fight for Ukraine. An information page launched on the ministry's website on Monday provides a comprehensive range of advice, covering everything from practical preparations before heading to Ukraine to details on payment, compensation, and the process for "declaring death in Finland."
“Volunteering in the Ukrainian Armed Forces is not a crime in Finland,” the information page states, while clarifying that the foreign ministry “does not recommend or promote volunteering.” It also specifies that diplomats will assist Finnish nationals who choose to fight for Kiev “in accordance with the Consular Services Act, when possible.”
Although the term “mercenary” is not used, potential foreign fighters are described as “volunteers.” The guidelines contain a warning that the "possibilities for providing consular assistance in Ukraine are very limited," emphasizing that volunteers will need to address issues through Ukrainian authorities rather than Finnish ones.
“The service contract is a private law contract and is subject to Ukrainian law,” the guidelines specify, noting that the Finnish foreign ministry “cannot assist in concluding or withdrawing from contracts.” It goes on to state that the responsibility for payments, compensations, and medical care in the event of combat injuries lies with the Ukrainian side.
In December, Finnish diplomats revealed that around 100 citizens had traveled to Ukraine since February 2022, with approximately 10 confirmed dead or missing in action, according to the head of the consular services department at the foreign ministry.
Kiev has been actively seeking foreign volunteers to join its ranks since the beginning of the conflict with Russia. Last month, reports indicated that Ukraine’s notorious neo-Nazi Azov unit was looking for English-speaking fighters to create an international battalion, as noted by the Guardian.
The Ukrainian military has faced challenges in replenishing its forces due to heavy losses and a mobilization campaign that has seen significant draft evasion and desertions. A recent report indicated that as many as 1,700 members of a brigade trained in France had fled without engaging in combat.
Moscow has repeatedly issued warnings that foreign nationals fighting with Ukrainian forces would be viewed as legitimate military targets. The Russian Investigative Committee announced last September that it had investigated 785 foreign mercenaries, some of whom are suspected of war crimes. Notably, a case was initiated in December against Brazilian national Lucas Ribeiro de Jesus, who was accused of participating in terrorist acts and torturing prisoners of war in Russia’s Kursk Region.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
“Volunteering in the Ukrainian Armed Forces is not a crime in Finland,” the information page states, while clarifying that the foreign ministry “does not recommend or promote volunteering.” It also specifies that diplomats will assist Finnish nationals who choose to fight for Kiev “in accordance with the Consular Services Act, when possible.”
Although the term “mercenary” is not used, potential foreign fighters are described as “volunteers.” The guidelines contain a warning that the "possibilities for providing consular assistance in Ukraine are very limited," emphasizing that volunteers will need to address issues through Ukrainian authorities rather than Finnish ones.
“The service contract is a private law contract and is subject to Ukrainian law,” the guidelines specify, noting that the Finnish foreign ministry “cannot assist in concluding or withdrawing from contracts.” It goes on to state that the responsibility for payments, compensations, and medical care in the event of combat injuries lies with the Ukrainian side.
In December, Finnish diplomats revealed that around 100 citizens had traveled to Ukraine since February 2022, with approximately 10 confirmed dead or missing in action, according to the head of the consular services department at the foreign ministry.
Kiev has been actively seeking foreign volunteers to join its ranks since the beginning of the conflict with Russia. Last month, reports indicated that Ukraine’s notorious neo-Nazi Azov unit was looking for English-speaking fighters to create an international battalion, as noted by the Guardian.
The Ukrainian military has faced challenges in replenishing its forces due to heavy losses and a mobilization campaign that has seen significant draft evasion and desertions. A recent report indicated that as many as 1,700 members of a brigade trained in France had fled without engaging in combat.
Moscow has repeatedly issued warnings that foreign nationals fighting with Ukrainian forces would be viewed as legitimate military targets. The Russian Investigative Committee announced last September that it had investigated 785 foreign mercenaries, some of whom are suspected of war crimes. Notably, a case was initiated in December against Brazilian national Lucas Ribeiro de Jesus, who was accused of participating in terrorist acts and torturing prisoners of war in Russia’s Kursk Region.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
