Over 500 Indians from across the country, including some veterans, have submitted applications volunteering to join the International Legion created to fight Russian forces in Ukraine, diplomatic sources said. One Indian has, so far, joined the Ukraine International Legion, according to official sources.
Following the announcement by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to create the International Legion for the territorial defence of Ukraine which would function under the territorial defence squad, a separate website was launched which details steps to join the volunteer force.
However, receiving applications does not mean they are accepted by default, sources explained. There is a long process based on certain criteria including domestic legislation of respective countries and the modalities for accepting volunteers are being finalised by the Ukraine Government, it has been learnt
One Indian student in Kharkiv is known to have joined the territorial defence squad, official and diplomatic sources told The Hindu. The youth is from Tamil Nadu, a source in the security establishment here said.
On March 6, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba announced that some 20,000 volunteers from 52 countries had signed up to join an “international legion” to defend Ukraine. “The whole world today is on Ukraine’s side not only in words but in deeds,” he said in a TV address. Media reports from Ukraine said 3,000 American applications have been received to join the Legion.
Late on Monday, the Kyiv Independent put out a picture on Twitter saying the first foreigners have already joined International Legion and are fighting outside of Kyiv and stated that according to the Ukrainian Ground Forces, the volunteers came from the U.S., U.K., Sweden, Lithuania, Mexico, and India.
Indian domestic law clearly states such an act is punishable as per Chapter VI, Section 121-130 of the Indian Penal Code – offences against the State. According to the section ‘Committing depredation on territories of Power at peace with the Government of India’: “Whoever commits depredation, or makes preparation to commit depredation, on the territories of any Power in alliance or at peace with the Government of India, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine and to forfeiture of any property used or intended to be used in committing such depredation, or acquired by such depredation.”
The law is invoked when the foreign Army in which India nationals joining is doing inimical things or is an adversary of India, experts noted referring to the efforts of Indian nationals to join ISIS in Syria which was prevented.
