Ukrainian Legion Recruitment in Poland Sees 300 Volunteers Enlist

About 300 Ukrainians living in Poland have already responded to the call for recruitment to the Ukrainian Legion.

Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz stated this during a press conference on Friday.

“I once heard about the target number of one brigade. The number so far is much smaller, I heard about 300 people,” he said.

Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized that the recruitment of Ukrainian volunteers was supposed to begin in early September, but there were not enough volunteers.

“Ukraine has now taken measures to inform, recruit and promote this process, so we are looking forward to the results,” the Defense Minister said.

Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski added that the training of the first soldiers will begin at Polish training centers as soon as the first group of several hundred volunteers is formed.

He reminded that Poland has already trained more than 20,000 Ukrainian soldiers as part of the EU’s training program.

First Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Ivan Havryliuk said that the state would provide uniforms and organize logistical support for the recruits, while Polish partners would provide weapons and equipment.

Recruitment process

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine said that the recruitment center was launched in Lublin, Poland, on the basis of the Ukrainian Consulate.

“The center has a military medical commission (MMC) consisting of doctors and medical staff with all the necessary equipment to conduct examinations and issue conclusions on fitness for service. After registration, the volunteers will be trained at a training ground set up by the Polish side,” noted Havryliuk.

Candidates with Ukrainian passports are invited to the recruiting center for an interview with the commander, during which the position is determined, documents are checked, and a referral for a medical examination is issued.

If the medical examination is successful, the volunteer receives a date for signing the contract, usually two weeks after all the checks are completed.

“After signing the contract, the volunteers will go to the training ground to undergo training that will last 35 days. Later, the servicemen may be sent to one of the European NATO bases for several more months to improve their skills,” added Ivan Havryliuk.