Georgian Legion (Ukraine)

Georgian National Legion
Грузинський національний легіон (Ukrainian)
ქართული ლეგიონი (Georgian)
Unit insignia
Founded2014 (2014)
Country Ukraine
AllegianceMinistry of Defense
Branch Ukrainian Ground Forces
Size2500+ (February 2024)[1][2][3]
PatronGeorgia
EngagementsRusso-Ukrainian War
Websitehttps://georgianlegion.com.ua/en/
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Mamuka Mamulashvili
Insignia
Identification
symbol
"Glory to Heroes", a stencil graffiti in Tbilisi, depicting the late volunteer Alexander Grigolashvili, in 2015.

The Georgian National Legion or Georgian Legion (Ukrainian: Грузинський національний легіон, romanizedHruzynskyi natsionalnyi lehion; Georgian: ქართული ლეგიონი, romanized: kartuli legioni) is a military unit formed by mostly ethnic Georgian volunteers fighting on the side of Ukraine in the war in Donbas and the Russo-Ukrainian War.[5] The unit was organized in 2014,[6] and in 2016 it was made part of the Ukrainian Army, under the 25th Mechanized Infantry Battalion "Kyiv Rus".[7] On 15 June 2024, the unit was classified as a terrorist organization by the Russian government.[8][9][10]

The unit was commanded by Mamuka Mamulashvili, a veteran Georgian officer.[11][6]

The Georgian Legion was noted as being particularly good at recruiting Americans by Kacper Rekawek, an expert on foreign fighters in Ukraine;[12] before the formation of the International Legion of Ukraine in 2022, most pro-Ukrainian foreign fighters served in the Georgian Legion.[13]

As of June 2023, volunteers from 33 nationalities have joined the unit.[14]

  1. ^ "US veterans head to Ukraine to fight, but Zelenskyy's legion faces hurdles". MilitaryTimes. 14 March 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  2. ^ "Band of others: Ukraine's legions of foreign soldiers are on the frontline". Politico. 24 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Georgia mourns two fighters killed in Ukraine". France24. 25 March 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  4. ^ "About 120 mercenaries of the "Georgian Legion"* participate in attacks on the Kursk region". eadaily.com. 9 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Foreign Fighters Vow to Support Ukraine Against Russian Invasion". Coffee or Die Magazine. 24 December 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  6. ^ a b Waller, Nicholas (26 February 2016). "American Ex-Paratrooper Joins Georgian Legion Fighting in Ukraine". Georgia Today. Archived from the original on 1 April 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Times, The Moscow (14 June 2024). "Moscow Brands Georgian National Legion 'Terrorist Organization'". The Moscow Times.
  9. ^ Service, RFE/RL's Russian. "Georgian Legion Fighting For Ukraine Designated As 'Terrorist' Group In Russia". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
  10. ^ "Russia Puts "Georgian National Legion" on "Terrorist Organizations" List". Civil Georgia. 14 June 2024.
  11. ^ "The Georgians of Ukraine. Who are they? • Ukraїner ∙ Expedition through Ukraine!". Ukraїner ∙ Expedition through Ukraine!. 11 August 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  12. ^ Olmstead, Molly (10 March 2022). "Who Are the Americans Who Went to Fight in Ukraine?". Slate. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  13. ^ "Foreign Fighters Are Rushing to Join Ukraine's New International Battalion". www.vice.com. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Japanese men among over 30 nationalities joining Ukraine's fight | New Straits Times". 26 June 2023.

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