Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed into law a bill that allows foreign citizens to serve in Ukraine's armed forces.
The legislation, which had been passed by the parliament in Kyiv on October 6, allows foreigners a legal possibility to serve under a contract in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and other military formations.
A statement from Poroshenko's office said the law "will increase the combat capability of Ukraine's military forces" by receiving "several combat-capable, experienced and motivated battalion-level units with a total number of up to 1,000 personnel.”
Poroshenko’s office said the influx of foreigners also would "help reduce the need for the conscription of Ukrainian citizens as part of mobilization" in response to fighting with Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
