Around 100 US citizens pass screening to join Ukrainian forces
March 11, 2022, 5:47 am

Around 100 US citizens pass screening to join Ukrainian forces

Ukrainian 93rd brigade (File photo: Euromaidan Press)

The We For News reported, Kiev’s military attaché in Washington DC has revealed that approximately 100 US citizens have passed the screening to join the Ukrainian armed forces fighting the Russian offensive.

Major General Borys Kremenetskyi, has told the news agency AP, since Moscow launched its invasion of its neighbor on February 24, some 6,000 people, mostly Americans, have reached out to the Ukrainian Embassy in the US to express their willingness to serve alongside Ukrainian forces.

According to the We For News, interviews with volunteers have been conducted by Kremenetskyi and other diplomatic staff in the US capital via Zoom.

According to the official, half the applicants had to be rejected early in the vetting process as they did not have the required military experience, had a criminal background, or were either too young or too old. Others did not make the list because the embassy was not able to adequately check their background. To be granted official permission to fight for Ukraine, those candidates who make it through the initial stages have to undertake a final Zoom interview.

In this photo Ukrainian citizens were trying to prevent Russian tanks from entering the city (File photo: Euromaidan Press)

Before any foreigner can join up, they are required to sign a contract to serve without pay in the International Legion for the Territorial Defense of Ukraine. The combatants have first to get themselves to Poland, then cross the Polish-Ukrainian border at a specified point. They are given weapons on arrival in Ukraine, but are expected to provide their own protective gear.

Kremenetskyi said that among those American volunteers deemed eligible were veterans of the Iraq and Afghan wars with combat experience, including a number of helicopter pilots.

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The US government has advised its citizens against heading to the war zone. In fact, last Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Americans who might be thinking of traveling there “not to go.” The State Department says that it is unclear how many have arrived in Ukraine since the start of the war, however.

According to an unnamed senior US federal law enforcement official cited by AP, Americans taking part in a military conflict abroad could face criminal charges at home or even lose their citizenship, under certain circumstances.

Several other experts the news outlet spoke with noted that such volunteers could potentially be recruited by foreign intelligence services while in the war zone and continue working for them on their return to the US. Others pointed to the risks to America’s national security posed by white supremacists, who are believed to be among the new recruits, and who could become even more radicalized in Ukraine.

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Ukraine’s military attaché in the US insists that the volunteers are “not mercenaries who are coming to earn money,” but rather “people of goodwill who are coming to assist Ukraine to fight for freedom.” Kremenetskyi told AP it was the “unfair” and “unprovoked” nature of Moscow’s attack that was compelling Americans to “go and help” Ukraine, asserting that “Russians can be stopped only with hard fists and weapons.”

Source: wefornews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”