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This is an official account dedicated to foreign volunteers serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

19/08/2026

"Come Prepared. This Is War – Not An Adventure"
Former Colombian soldier. Certified public accountant. Volunteer of the Ukrainian Armed Forces

Known by the callsign Crisfaka, he came to Ukraine to make what he believed would be a small contribution. Four months later, he has completed intensive military training, spent nearly two months holding the line against Russian forces, and survived a battlefield dominated by FPV drones.

In his own words, he explains why he chose to fight for Ukraine, what surprised him most about modern war, and why discipline, preparation, and teamwork are the keys to survival.

Read the interview: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/news/come-prepared-war-not-adventure-crisfaka-colombian-volunteer

Learn more about foreign volunteers in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and join on the official website: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/

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12/08/2026

"I Want to Build My Life in Ukraine" – Costa, Colombian Volunteer

A former professional soldier in the Colombian armed forces, Costa followed Russia's invasion closely before volunteering to join Ukraine's fight. After studying the battlefield and speaking with veterans, he traveled to Ukraine to serve.
Now, after more than five months of intensive tactical and combat medical training, he is ready for his first deployment in the ranks of the 253rd Assault Regiment “Arey”. His goal extends beyond a single mission — he hopes to make Ukraine his home and continue wearing its uniform for years to come.

Read the interview: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/news/i-want-build-my-life-ukraine-costa-colombian-volunteer

Learn more about foreign volunteers in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and join on the official website: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/

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04/08/2026

April Huggett: Came to Deliver Aid, Stayed to Defend Ukraine. Part 4

After four years of war, what remains? For Canadian volunteer-turned-combat medic April Huggett, the answer is not pride, but gratitude — gratitude every time her soldiers return alive. The war has changed her, taken a part of her, and transformed Ukraine from a place she came to help into the home she refuses to abandon.

Today, April serves as a combat medic with the Alcatraz Battalion of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar."

In the 4th — and final — part of our conversation, April speaks about the weight of responsibility for her soldiers, the sacrifices of being separated from her own children, and the personal toll of life in wartime. She shares why “happiness is for later,” what gives her the strength to continue, and why, for her, defending Ukraine is also a fight for the future her children will inherit.

Read the interview: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/news/april-huggett-came-deliver-aid-stayed-defend-ukraine-part-4

Learn more about foreign volunteers in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and join on the official website: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/

Learn more about the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar" on the official website: https://www.93ombr.army

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28/07/2026

April Huggett: Came to Deliver Aid, Stayed to Defend Ukraine. Part 3

When April Huggett first arrived in Ukraine from Canada in 2022, drones were still a secondary threat. Today, they shape every movement on the battlefield.

Now serving as a combat medic with the Alcatraz Battalion of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar," April reflects on how the war has evolved over the past four years — from artillery and trench warfare to fiber-optic drones and robotic systems — and why she believes no army in the world is better prepared for modern warfare than Ukraine.

Read Part 3 of our conversation: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/news/april-huggett-came-deliver-aid-stayed-defend-ukraine-part-3

Learn more about foreign volunteers in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and join on the official website: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/

Learn more about the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar" on the official website: https://www.93ombr.army

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23/07/2026

April Huggett: Came to Deliver Aid, Stayed to Defend Ukraine. Part 2

April Huggett left behind a peaceful life in Canada after the atrocities of Bucha compelled her to act. When she first arrived in Ukraine, she planned to deliver humanitarian aid and return home after just 18 days. But witnessing Russia's attacks on civilians, losing close friends, and realizing that Donetsk Oblast had become her home changed everything.

Today, she serves as a combat medic with the Alcatraz Battalion of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar." In Part 2 of our conversation, April explains how she transitioned from helping civilians as a volunteer to protecting them in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Read the second part of our interview: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/news/april-huggett-came-deliver-aid-stayed-defend-ukraine-part-2

Learn more about foreign volunteers in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and join on the official website: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/

Learn more about the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar" on the official website: https://www.93ombr.army

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21/07/2026

April Huggett: Came to Deliver Aid, Stayed to Defend Ukraine. Part 1

A quiet life in Canada. The haunting images of Bucha. A humanitarian mission supposed to last just 18 days that turned into a permanent commitment to Ukraine…

April Huggett is a combat medic with the Alcatraz Battalion of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar," a unit fighting on some of the most demanding sectors of the front.

We met with her in Kramatorsk to talk about what brought her to Ukraine, why she chose to stay, and how the atrocities of Russia's full-scale invasion transformed her from a Canadian volunteer into a soldier fighting for Ukraine.

This is the first part of our conversation: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/news/april-huggett-came-deliver-aid-stayed-defend-ukraine-part-1

Learn more about foreign volunteers in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and join on the official website: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/

Learn more about the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar" on the official website: https://www.93ombr.army

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15/07/2026

"I can't imagine life without military service."

Before coming to Ukraine, Brazilian volunteer Clark Kent had already completed military training in his home country — but it was here, in the ranks of the 159th Separate Mechanized Brigade, that he experienced combat for the first time. After witnessing the impact of Russia's invasion on Ukrainians during a visit to Lviv, he decided to join the fight, choosing a brigade where he could serve alongside fellow Brazilians.

In this interview, Clark talks about adapting to modern warfare, why training in Ukraine is unlike anything he experienced before, the importance of serving alongside trusted comrades, and why, even after taking leave, he plans to return to the front.

Read the full story: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/news/clark-kent-brazil-i-cant-imagine-life-without-military-service

Learn more about foreign volunteers serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and join them on the official website: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/

Learn more about the 159th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and join the brigade on its official website:
https://159ombr.army/ -oc__215

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08/07/2026

Foreign Defenders Can Now Obtain Temporary Residence Permits in Ukraine

Foreign volunteers serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine can now officially apply for temporary residence permits. The first permits have already been issued in the Ternopil region. Find out who received them and what new opportunities this document provides in the video.

For more details, read the full article: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/news/foreign-defenders-can-now-obtain-temporary-residence-permits-ukraine

Learn more about the foreign volunteers serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine—and how to join them—on the official website:
https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/

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01/07/2026

Californian Heart, Ukrainian Roots – Yankee, American Volunteer in the Ukrainian Army

He came from California — America’s Pacific frontier, known for Hollywood glamour, Silicon Valley innovation, and year-round sunshine. Before Ukraine, Yankee had no previous military background, though he had intended to enlist in the U.S. military. Instead, the Russian aggression against Ukraine redirected his plans and brought him to the ranks of the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade "Magura". Yankee, as his callsign states, is American through and through. But his story is deeply rooted in Ukraine.

Read the full story: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/news/californian-heart-ukrainian-roots-yankee-american-volunteer-ukrainian-army

Learn more about foreign volunteers in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and join on the official website: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/

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25/06/2026

Former Polish soldier. Mountaineer. Humanitarian worker. Defender of Ukraine.
After more than four years of war, Maciej "Krakow" has accumulated countless stories from the front. But one remains unforgettable: the day 15 Russian soldiers surrendered after being tricked into approaching Ukrainian positions.
Here's how it happened.

Read the full story: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/news/krakow-what-matters-most-serving-ukraine

Learn more about foreign volunteers in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and join on the official website: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/

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