20,000 foreign fighters flock to Ukraine as conflict enters 12th day

Thousands of international volunteers have traveled to Ukraine to join in the fight against Russian forces, a top Ukrainian official has said, as the simmering conflict enters its 12th day.

Speaking to the American broadcaster CNN on Monday, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the number of volunteers was “around 20,000” who were coming “mostly from European countries.”

The Ukrainian official said it was most important to receive “sustainable, political, economic and military support” from around the world while praising foreign fighters heading to Ukraine.

“We need the US leadership in this exercise, with special focus on air defense," he added.

Ukraine’s embattled President, Volodymyr Zelensky, last week issued a call to foreign nationals who are “friends of peace and democracy” to travel to the country to fight against the Russians.

The appeal, published on the Ukrainian presidency’s website, said the Ukrainian Armed Forces were in the process of setting up a foreign legion unit for international volunteers.

“This is the beginning of a war against Europe, against European structures, against democracy, against basic human rights, against a global order of law, rules, and peaceful coexistence,” the statement said.

The call was later repeated by Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba.

Denmark has given the green light for its nationals to join the fight in Ukraine.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss gave similar permission to UK nationals, but she found opposition from the country's Head of the Armed Forces, Admiral Tony Radakin, who said it was “unlawful and unhelpful” for Britons to fight against Russia in Ukraine.

“It's unlawful as well as unhelpful for UK military, and for the UK population, to start going towards Ukraine,” Radakin told the BBC on Sunday.

The remarks were in response to comments made by Truss, who said she “absolutely” supported anyone who wanted to volunteer to go to Ukraine for the fight.

Elaborating further, British Home Secretary Priti Patel on Monday tweeted that her government has called on Interpol to immediately suspend Russia from the international law enforcement organization.

“Russia's actions are a direct threat to the safety of individuals and to international law enforcement cooperation," Patel said, while asking Interpol's executive committee to make a decision this week.

ME