Can foreign soldiers make a decisive difference on the battlefield for Ukraine? | DW News

Ukraine has made absolutely clear in recent months that it is running out of weapons, with growing concerns about recent Russian advances on the front lines.
After months of apparent stalemate, Ukraine withdrew its troops from the key eastern town of Avdiivka in mid-February. Moscow says it has since taken control of several villages around it. Kyiv is trying to reinforce its front lines - with soldiers from at least 30 different countries joining the fight.
DW’s Carolina Chimoy recently met two soldiers in the town of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region who've traveled all the way from South America to help defend the country against Russia.
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#ukraine #russia #ukrainewar

[@johnnualda3946]

6:57 and Zelensky said 31k dead only?

[@eddastrohmayer251]

Even Americans said three times more ...

[@user-bj3ns4fe1w]

😂😂

[@ElonMasks]

Because they don't want to lower their morale

[@ulaachtezulaachtiran257]

Last month alone perhaps he meant

[@Alfa-ng7jv]

He means 400,000 dead

[@Logrowlf]

3000 a month is not much for putting your life on the line.

[@Hereford1642]

True, but it is 5 or 6 times what they might expect to earn in Columbia. And some people actually like to fight.

[@mattwhydoyoucare7740]

You will almost certainly be killed in combat for that $3000. So definitely not worth it.

[@captainchaoscow]

It's just compensation. You have to be an idealist going there.

[@SnowCat6]

Украинцы стоят намного дешевле. Стоимость любого украинского солдата дешевле любого дрона.

[@thomaslacornette1282]

@@jasip1000 Except if you go for team Russia! 2000€/month is not bad for a lot of countries in the world.

[@anantthakur7166]

A lot of them went back anyway, they realise that when it is an actual war and the enemy has the same firepower as yours and maybe sometimes more then they arent able to fight their way out. In the Middle East, asymmetrical warfare made easy work for mercenaries but when you fight fire with fire then you really come to grips that war is brutal and terrifying when we do get one.

[@SnowCat6]

Не только война ужасна, но и быть колонией Европы и США не менее ужасно. Увы Европа проиграла США, и теперь является просто колонией.

[@sunlbx]

@@SnowCat6 хахаха продолжай повторение этого! правильное мышление!

[@TheJZP]

Yup, they find out war is scary when people can actually shoot back.

[@SerenityMae11]

​@SnowCat6 the funny thing is, they would rather be a colony of the USA then under Russias thumb. Russia will ALWAYS be inferior to the USA 😅

[@michaelgarcia7120]

@@SnowCat6better be a colony to USA than Russia… 😎

[@triglavbog7527]

But Zelensky said that he has 800 000 soldiers left.

[@nc01sadh]

But dictator vladimir Putin said the 'z' fascist operation would last only 3 days!

[@goudwaard8880]

800,000 grandpa's and injured men...

[@SnowCat6]

Каждый солдат-это 1 дорожка белого порошка.

[@GolDRoger-fx2fp]

Yeah that's why Russia still can't conquer the entire Ukraine.

[@DarxKies]

@@goudwaard8880 I guess he should trick Indians and Cubans like putler does. Right?

[@ismaelangula6705]

Can DW visits ground Gaza

[@hb9145]

Can you visit your grandmother? You probably can, but here you are.

[@pedroliang4472]

Brazil ❤ Israel

[@geofflepper3207]

No DW cannot visit Gaza because Israel has blocked journalists from entering Gaza. Now you know.

[@ZeeJuque]

What about Darfur

[@torehaaland6921]

None of those conflicts has anything to do with Ukraine. So why bringing them up?

[@robertluvisia]

Many have moved back to their home countries.

[@ruuuuudooooolph]

At least they didnt have to beg their gov for help evacuating them or be duped into Russian army.

[@user-qk9he7se5w]

​@@ruuuuudooooolphthose Indians 😂

[@joelrios3704]

Specially some after they were treated like garbage by ukranian army

[@domerame5913]

@@joelrios3704 so many russians watching western media.... cultural victory achieved

[@shark4sk]

Seems more like a PR video....

[@hindubiok1959]

Of course it is. Don't you know that this is Germany's state broadcaster? Who is the only one in Germany who is paid for by tax money?

[@SnowCat6]

Европейцев готовят к повторению 1941 года.

[@Kartoffelsuppe_m_Wursteinlage]

Warmonger media.

[@amalia_ag]

@@hindubiok1959 Yes, and they monkey around in English - the language of their occupant.

[@iamsorryforbeingrudebefore1626]

Because it is, DW trying to recruit more Carlos and Miguels.

[@jammiefortier1480]

3K a month is hardly a mercenaries wage. The money is not the reason The Foreign Legion fighters are there, especially the North American and European soldiers.

[@brandonlongdikjones8117]

You don't even believe that 😅

[@napoleonbonaparte4396]

What is the mercenary's wage at today's standards since inflation driving prices up?

[@DenisShkirmantov]

Most of the NA or EU soldiers are messed up in the head due to PTSDs and western narrative of East is the den of evil. They fight to find purpose in life, to fulfill justice and rightiousness... unfortunately they are being used like dogs just to receive a title of " unknown hero" once they've lost their life for "mutual benefit."

[@zakvitale1411]

Ask Blackwater or CIA contractors. It's a pretty good haul

[@anton_t]

For mercenaries from Colombia that's very good money. That is even more than an average middle IT expert earns in Europe after taxes.

[@jonathanjacob5453]

5:51 she responded. Just like you I am here making a living.

[@moonshah5506]

Ukrainian are living happily in UK and foreigners are fighting for Ukraine. Give an award to them.

[@hardquestions01]

😅😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@MrCykotickiwi]

Probably didnt feel like Ukraine under Zelensky control was worth fighting for.

[@tim35332]

😂😂😂😂👍

[@7GADMUSIQVEVO]

Real talk they should have all stayed & defend their country & not having foreigners fight it out for them😮, a coward dies twice knw that 😢

[@Los21189]

and the average age of the frontline soldier is pushing 40's Ukrainian men in the country dont even want fight for their own country

[@nikolozgabedava6934]

recruiting the mercenaries. :D

[@patrickgz]

outsourcing. its done in business, politics and wars, only referred with different labels

[@steveeuphrates-river7342]

Very brave men!

[@yves3560]

Completely suicidal. Not a smart thing to do.

[@steveeuphrates-river7342]

@@yves3560 okay Putin!

[@artics1031]

It's funny that Columbian mercenaries were hired by Russia as well...this is crazy!!

[@Hexiad]

6:22 Love that she admits these are mercenaries.

[@brandonlongdikjones8117]

Any one who knows what a mercenary is knows the truth, the funny thing is when someone denies it and calls them volunteers like they volunteer for a food bank

[@rbesfe]

Yeah, and? What problem is there with mercenaries?

[@vshnrs]

Mercenary is actually a criminal offense according to most criminal codes of the developed countries of the world.

[@brandonlongdikjones8117]

@@vshnrs ooooh, breaking news lol

[@herekitty791]

Such a lack of diversity on the frontline

[@Kanvers_Martian]

Nato troops been fighting has mercenaries

[@rajcallychurn7223]

How can we call kramatorsk ukranian when all the people that were interviewed spoke russian except the colombians.

[@franciscomaldonado2071]

Thanks DW, nice reporter

[@bobmalonza6929]

They are called mercenaries, not foreign fighters. And they can come in either as mercenaries or N_At_o

[@johnofnz]

Aren't these guys technically mercenaries?

[@macleunin]

Depends on which side you’re on.

[@tommygun5038]

No. Mercenaries don't usually fight for countries.

[@michaelfaraday8391]

They’re

[@michaelfaraday8391]

@@tommygun5038so why are they calling Wagner mercenaries?

[@thomaslacornette1282]

No because they enlist in the Ukrainian army. I don't get why so many people can't understand the nuance. It happenned a lot through history, French and Spanish armies in the past had irish citizens regiments in their roayl armies as exemple. To be a mercenary you have to be in an organisation outside of the army. There is mercenaries in Ukraine few hundreds, but those are employees of "security companies" similar to "blackwater" most of them are training troops.

[@joecartwright9221]

Please pray for Peace

[@user-yy9hk9od9u]

No. Ukraine is asking for weapons, not foreign soldiers.

[@kirikoo9981]

I saw the strike on this house, There was a truck with soldiers on board that downloaded soldiers to this house immediately after the Russians blew it up completely.

[@bravewarrior33]

Foreign fighters will embrace Fab 1500 bunker blaster till they exist. Its not picnic or hollywood

[@DM_Laf]

Boris Johnson is going to the front ;)

[@AH-fm7rj]

With AI beginning to eliminate jobs at an exponentially increasing rate, by 2025, working as a foreign fighter may become the best job option for those currently employed in the finance and software sectors. 😅

[@bogdangoodman526]

Good reportage! Thank you!

[@blackterminal]

Thanks for the video.

[@IvanEmmanuel1414]

Some one is fronting a global war against dialogue.

[@salgado1601]

God save this people…. 🇺🇦

[@bernardobagundo1532]

mercenaries

[@nedgligich]

Dumb just got Dumber

[@sdmit2000]

Looks like they came to make some money

[@alvinrichover9682]

USA Donated money

[@gagangurung5297]

now we listning less about forign fighter for ukriane since cia money is drying

[@davidbrighton6521]

Sadly, when Ukraine's own youth (20-30) will not pick up arms to fight for their own country. It's very hard to encourage foreigners to fight. As a former member of the Canadian armed forces, when the war broke out, I wanted to go! But now seeing how reluctant the able age of young Ukrainians not willing to fight is extremely disappointing. They absolutely need aide, but if their own country is not willing to fight for it, then they are doomed.

[@buddyrojek9417]

Everyone that wanted to fight has joined, but they have been chewed up by the lack of weapons. So the rest of the men realise the war is lost. If USA etc don’t send the weapons now, Russia will roll right through the country , then force the soldiers to fight Europe.

[@user-sw7im8xy7h]

For the point of correction, they are not international soldiers, they are machineries.

[@arnoldstang7997]

What a hoot 2 columbians travel half way around the world to fight for democracy. How about fighting for democracy in Columbia!

[@amalia_ag]

Always the question - "whose democracy?"

[@shaungriffin123]

Why aren’t they producing their own weapons yet? They have had two years to start production

[@simonthekindcutthroat6324]

Don't think its very easy to set up a robust industrial production when your GDP is cut by 70%, and get shelled. Probably also why what they produce is mostly stuff like drones. Stuff people can build in some garage, from imported parts.

[@johntowers1213]

where should they put this manufacturing..?in a country completely within range of Russian attack? for a realistic military industrial base you can't operate it out of a few dozen garages and backyard workshops... this was America's strength and germany's Weakness during WWII. one could create massive manufacturing facilities to supply the war free from attack while at the end Germany could barely hammer two bits of metal together without an Allied strike on the production facility or some part of its supply chain... nowhere in Ukraine is safe, this makes producing advanced heavy equipment in country near impossible

[@davidbrown8536]

they make better fertiliser apparently.

[@k.sullivan6303]

No more alimony payments for that guy!

[@dtsh4451]

Make you wonder he had something to do with the missile strike 😂?

[@k.sullivan6303]

I was gonna add that as a comment too. LOL. Anyway, I am truly sad that those people are losing their homes and their lives due to Russian brutality and senseless war.@@dtsh4451

[@user-sk6qj9yf6w]

Regarding foreign soldiers in Ukraine.... Without air support, the foreign military contingent will very quickly go in the opposite direction. Feet forward. Air support for this contingent means you know what (read Russian military doctrine)

[@user-sk6qj9yf6w]

It's a shame then☹

[@nolongerblocked6210]

Krembot cope

[@abdirahmanahmadalifarah926]

SAM ?? Ever air defence system??

[@izajahmed8863]

​@@nolongerblocked6210it's not coping, it reality. A senior French officer to Macron said that sending French troops would be a mistake now. We would be an army of cheerleaders. You can look at this for yourself. Many people in the west cannot digest that Russia is kicking their butts into pieces 😂😂 because of their hatred and anger. When you deny the reality, you would either end up losing or humiliated more than last time

[@domerame5913]

@@izajahmed8863 lmao cope still stuck in ukraine

[@calmdown1992]

Long answer short: No!

[@7GADMUSIQVEVO]

Jdf 🇯🇲 ex-soldier here I been asking for months now to be selected for this War 👍 I need in on the Action to help stop this massacre 😮

[@7GADMUSIQVEVO]

@Phase___ Well I guess you got a point 👉 worst Ukrainians runaway leaving their towns to crumble & am wanting to go there .

[@hamish1309]

Rip.

[@stressfreesasaki6570]

If it wasn’t racism in Ukraine the immigrants who were living in Ukraine would have support them in the fight rather than leaving them

[@everypitchcounts4875]

Cost savings from the Pentagon 🤣🤣🤣 Pentagon has failed its last 6 audits. Only thing the Pentagon knows how to save, is it's own @ss

[@tonylombi9320]

My answer: No. It will only make a sadly decisive differemce in the lives of these foreign soldiers and their families.

[@dinnerwaltz]

I won't fight for any country.

[@torehaaland6921]

Then you have no right to enjoy freedom and safety in your daily life.

[@mahmoodakbar123]

if they increase salary to 6000usd per month , some Venezuelans might be interested to join noble cause ;-)

[@firefly9838]

Don't you have a dictator in Venezuela to fight for?? I thought he was going to invade that one little country

[@izajahmed8863]

​@@firefly9838Still Americans name and find a country in map 😂😂

[@shinji1264]

​@@firefly9838exactly Venezuela is in quite a pickle and they themselves need help

[@JeremiahDoctsonFitness]

Strange

[@CIS101]

Is it really helping ? Well I guess it's one of those "good to know" things.

[@alex4863]

Didn’t realize all Ukraines Mercenaries are all in there 40’s too.

[@kunik61]

So what?

[@user333-us4qz]

The only show 2 soldiers not a brigade of Foreign soldiers 🤣 what a weak statement. 🤷‍♂️

[@DarxKies]

At least you don't see videos of foreigners asking their governments to pull them out like the indians did when they were tricked by putler to enlist and be butchered in Ukraine for a dying russian empire.

[@ryanthompson1981]

There's more than 2.

[@sumdude4281]

FSB is busy in comment section today.

[@amalia_ag]

I am FSB

[@abbasikat2144]

It's poverty that drives them to fight

[@bubbyfuzz454]

This is very deceptive. They are mercenaries.

[@torehaaland6921]

Even so, if Russia, the aggressor, have them, Ukraine, the defender, can too.

[@maxloewe9162]

"Foreign fighters" it's called mercenaries.

[@ljnv]

Probably want a visa to get into Europe

[@ljnv]

Probably want a visa into Europe

[@hb9145]

No

[@stephenfrank9735]

Did she say 30,000 dollars a month? If so, how do I sign up?

[@dancotton13]

The real question is : "Did foreign soldiers made a difference for these two years of fighting Russia ?"Ha? No?

[@williamstidham7704]

Nah, a few thousand foreigners isn’t going to make a difference. Look at Wagner, their numbers swelled to somewhere around 100k, many many many times more than Ukraine’s Foreign Legion, and even Wagner’s difference will be negligible after it’s all said and done. Wagner was completely spent taking Bahkmut, and that victory will have no strategic impact on the outcome of the war.

[@dancotton13]

@@williamstidham7704 Wagner was dismantled and incorporated into the regular army. We know... still sore after Bakhmut.

[@Tu-Vi-Dau-So]

Many game changers😂😂😂

[@joseph87328]

They probably make more money in ukraine

[@DaveBoothroyd-ej5in]

They are Columbian mercenaries, not idealogues by the sound of it. Call it what it is.

[@brentcampbell3060]

Send what Ukraine needs. If not, then send us books to help to speak Russian and Chinese.

[@nymuelovan]

Mercenaries

[@Moepedi]

The answer is no, because there are already there now, remember the cafe in Kharkiv?

[@gustavalexander8676]

I believe they also lost some foreign nationals operating the PATRIOT systems lost to russian guided artillery. Of course thats hush-hush since we dont want to admit to such direct participation.

[@filipe5722]

Ok Mr. Moepedidov.

[@glintongordon6811]

Wali is Canada's best sniper... He was in Ukraine ​@@filipe5722

[@Moepedi]

@@filipe5722 That actually cracked me up. 😃

[@ScentlessSun]

These are some of the dumbest comments I’ve read.

[@vshnrs]

Mercenary is actually a criminal offense according to most criminal codes of the "developed" countries of the world. Is that why DW is promoting and advertising this opportunity to Latin America and the rest of the world on their international channel? Answer "The penalties for hiring mercenaries in G20 countries are not explicitly outlined in the provided search results. However, it is important to note that hiring mercenaries can have serious legal implications under international law and the laws of individual countries. The use of mercenaries is generally prohibited by international conventions such as the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing, and Training of Mercenaries. Penalties for hiring mercenaries can vary depending on the country and the specific circumstances of the case.

[@revolutionarydefeatism]

By definition, they are mercenaries!

[@proselytizingorthodoxpente8304]

You mean like the Wagner mercenaries that fight for Russia's dictator in Ukraine?

[@grahambaker6664]

Not true. The definition of a mercenary is contained in Article 47(1) of the Geneva Conventions Protocol 1. These foreigners sign contracts with the Armed Forces of Ukraine and are paid the same rates of pay as Ukrainian soldiers of the same rank and as a result they are not mercenaries.

[@DM_Laf]

if Russians targeted school, where is then wounded children? Or was someone else in this civilian object 🤭

[@amalia_ag]

Correct, the Ukrainian man said a "civilian building", which is correct. He will not be allowed to continue "that housed foreign mercenaries".

[@pychoupchhoeuy2008]

Only one thing needs to do is testing the theory and thinking is over. Like machines testing it to prove it.

[@RedEyeFish1]

Unless you supply 500k foreign troops in Ukraine...to make a victory battle..... sending 10k to 50k is not going to change anything..

[@IAMAVIKJORDAN]

They are not Volunteers they are Latin mercinaries, UK paid them more than RUssia with Borrowed Money !

[@Leonardo-gb1ej]

Can you share you sources?

[@IAMAVIKJORDAN]

@@Leonardo-gb1ej Common sense , who tf works for free? Every one gets paid! Be it volunteer or not. If you are not a native and fighting for them in eachnage of money you are a Maercinary!

[@paulwalker427]

LOL no, what happened to the last lot?

[@mariomc91]

Proud of colombians soldiers!

[@philadelphialor732]

Great 👍 to the volunteers.

[@amalia_ag]

Which volunteers?

[@paulpaul1260]

A Ukrainian soldier said that Ukraine's losses are so heavy where he's fighting that they struggle to recover the bodies Mia Jankowicz Mar 18, 2024, 10:30 AM CDT

[@mrswavee2470]

The brave fight the wars. The cowards savor the victory.

[@nikobelic234]

Zelensky said they lost only. 31000k soldiers… so why they need more ?

[@DarxKies]

Because the imperialist and genocidal russian empire invaded Ukraine?

[@eddastrohmayer251]

Even Americans said a number 3times higher ...

[@gethomas02]

@@DarxKies what are you 12 years old?

[@DarxKies]

@@gethomas02 Why? Do you need an ELI5 explanation of my comment?

[@williamstidham7704]

The official numbers shown to the public, from both sides, are completely bogus and should be ignored. The most likely true numbers are around 100k KIA for Ukraine, 150-200k KIA for Russia, and about 3x those numbers for WIA.

[@user-vy5fx4hk6h]

I thought Ukraine was winning...

[@ulaachtezulaachtiran257]

Winning yes! The PR game.

[@ulaachtezulaachtiran257]

@@Phase___ he probably has that much time to live in this case. Or a private jet full of cash straight to Miami.

[@medicuswashington9870]

North Korea will not allow Russia to lose the special military operation in Ukraine.

[@jeffersongeorge2227]

Ukraine, who is sponsored by NATO is running out of weapons??? The reporter must have read that wrong. Strange eh...

[@erikn.8626]

Mercenaries nothing else

[@jambojam25]

So they are mercenaries.

[@Paisa231]

In word only, if you take the foreign aspect. They are officially embedded into the Army of Ukraine. Wearing Ukraine insignia and papers, and under Ukraine Command. All of this is according to rules of war. A mercenary use their own command system, are not paid directly by a state, and not directly under army command.

[@chiguinson]

Showing their faces might put them in danger as we know how russians operate against their own and the ones helping Ukraine.

[@dutch2smoked927]

but stil people in kyiv go to the disco's and bars to dance while foreign fighters fighting their war ? pretty weird i would feel ashamed if i was in those bars

[@felipe-vibor]

Hired mercenaries

[@exodus888]

fight for usd lol

[@ragingmonk6080]

Ukraine should break into their strategic reserves that they have built up since 1991.

[@guyjoseph4361]

That book, placed, in the rubble , is the most staged, thing I've seen!

[@shark4sk]

DW....are you going to make some ground reporting like this for Palestine......😢😢😢😢😢

[@Scaleyback317]

They certainly could if there were enough of them. Deep respect not just for these Colombian lads but for all of the foriegners who have cared enough to contribute. FIne soldiers, fine morals and I hope when the time comes Ukraine recognizes and cherishes the extent to which some of them have made sacrifices to help Ukraine survive.

[@munda2103]

Can jevalin make a dicisive difference in a battle?

[@Brian-om2hh]

Try asking the 3000 tank crews who got their tanks destroyed....

[@Nuklear_Godzilla]

​@@Brian-om2hhsource: trustmebro 🤡🤣

[@itsclint146]

How much money do these foreign mercenaries get

[@DBCKINGS]

Why not care for GAZA the same way!

[@trevorsutherland5263]

How they paying them since US didn't send $60B?

[@amalia_ag]

Vassals in Europe pay

[@stephenfrank9735]

Remember they just received over 50 billion euros rom the EU recently.

[@robwyyi]

Another feel good story. These international combatants only makes up a portion of a brigade. Every little bit counts. Not true. Cold hard truth is they need 500k troops. The little military news coming out of Russia is 500k trained troops will be in line this summer. The square they’re walking on will be the front lines shortly.

[@eugenedavis6792]

Foreign Soldiers fight for Ukraine get paid less then a Private Army Security Force gets paid 3 times as much and they in combat only for a short time.

[@Will-no6te]

You can tell some russians haven't gone to bed yet in the comments 😂

[@sealwheel]

yep

[@Chaldon-hl6yk]

cause 11 time zones

[@prizefighter8699]

Betaa male

[@F3CKTHEZIOS]

i can tell for sure you're still having wet dream about Ukraine winning lol.

[@JusticeGranville-uk8ww]

😂😂😂

[@silasdelobo4385]

C I A Must have been busy recruiting Colombian mercenaries for a green card

[@Go4Broke247]

And DEA over there recruiting and training them like the Contras.

[@boink800]

Those poor Indians fighting for Russia in Ukraine ... they were tricked into doing this.

[@DarxKies]

Is the CIA with us in the room right now?

[@juanalejandromarinjaramill1949]

India bring a country in south Asia, not south America... Google it... If school wasn't enough to learn that...​@@boink800

[@Jyshrii]

Russia is also recruiting soldiers from other countries in Asia, Africa, and even Latin America.