The head of the 47th Brigade’s recruitment department discusses how foreign volunteers and Ukrainians live and fight, what they value and what surprises them, their challenges and motivations, “signature perks,” Magura’s system for survival and victory, and why people from all over the world choose to serve in this particular unit.
Civilian Experience as a Weapon
Vyacheslav, the head of the recruitment department for the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade—whose call sign is “Arkush”—worked in the IT field in civilian life. By the time he was drafted, he already had a solid understanding of how companies are structured, how brands are promoted, how sales departments are formed, and how marketing works.
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His own military experience and direct participation in combat operations allow Vyacheslav to better understand what a future member of a well-coordinated combat team should be like. The officer actively applies this experience within the brigade. Such knowledge allows him to communicate “on the same page” and “on the same wavelength” with candidates for service. First and foremost—people who have no prior military experience, are unfamiliar with Ukrainian military subculture, and, of course, foreign volunteers.
They know what they’re doing and what they want
– In fact, foreigners have been serving in our brigade since its formation, – says Vyacheslav. “They have participated in the fiercest battles and, together with the brigade, have gone through its difficult and glorious combat path. And today, depending on the global media and diplomatic attention to Ukraine’s War of Independence, foreign volunteers are intensely interested in the possibility of military service in Magura.”
The officer holds foreign volunteers in high regard: “These are precisely the people who understand why they are coming here, who realize that their help is needed here, people who are ready to give it their all. It is precisely these volunteers who deliver the best results and help us achieve our common goal.”
– Personally, I can say that the soldiers we invited from Latin America are directly carrying out their duties at the front lines, often for more than two months straight, without complaining. They understand the situation and the realities of this war, and they do their jobs diligently. When we were rotating the troops and I asked how the guys were feeling and what their plans were, they said they wanted to recover, rest, and were ready to go back. And that is what matters most right now. People like that are the ones you remember the most. They usually have military experience in their own countries, value the combat experience they gain here, understand what they’re doing, and know what they want.
From Europe to Asia
The geographical range of Magura’s foreign volunteers is very broad. It includes Europe, the U.S., the U.K., and Australia. We’ve received applications from Africa and Asia. And the most come from Latin America.
“The distinctive feature of our brigade is the rigorous selection process during recruitment,” says Vyacheslav. We work to ensure that candidates meet the requirements of our unit and the tasks they will be assigned during their service. Of course, we take language into account so that we have appropriate translators and can properly organize their service and daily life. Team spirit, culture, values, and traditions also matter.
Candidates from different countries have different characteristics and views on communication. We try to explain many things to them during training. Foreign volunteers get used to other aspects as their service progresses. But most often, they are surprised by the unbreakable resilience and unique sense of humor of Ukrainians, who are accustomed to laughing and joking about dangerous situations that seem absolutely terrifying—and usually are.
About Motivation
The most common motivation for foreign volunteers joining the 47th Brigade is the desire to gain practical combat experience, says the officer: the entire civilized world is watching Ukraine. In this battle, we are like David against Goliath. We are demonstrating that we can be more effective. Right here in Ukraine, specifically here in the 47th Brigade, trends are emerging in understanding how to be effective on the battlefield, how to optimally use valuable resources and save lives, while still accomplishing missions and winning.
Over the years of individual and collective combat experience, a unique system of training, logistics, and combat operations has been developed, enabling survival and the achievement of objectives in the conditions of modern warfare. Foreigners can gain this experience firsthand by experiencing and witnessing everything during their service in the brigade. We understand that in the future, such experience becomes an asset to their countries and helps them develop in the military sphere.
A significant motivation for foreign volunteers to join Magura is often the opportunity to obtain a Ukrainian combatant certificate:
“We often had active-duty military personnel from Europe come to us to obtain this status,” the officer notes. – This often leads to significant career and financial growth in their units later on.
But not all foreign volunteers plan to put their experience to use only after returning home. For some, social benefits, military rank, the opportunity to become a citizen of Ukraine, and being part of a progressive country’s society are what matter.
No promises or illusions—just truth and trust
The brigade places significant emphasis on the recruitment process. Recruiters who have personally participated in combat operations speak with candidates. After all, they must clearly and impartially explain to their future comrades what actually awaits them. In particular, Vyacheslav highlights the Colombians Olvir and Amadeus:
– I recruited them into the brigade myself. These men have been through serious combat, recovered from their wounds, and today they work directly on recruitment with me on the team. They know exactly how to communicate and what to say, but most importantly, they can speak from personal experience about what war is like. This allows candidates for service to realistically assess their capabilities and make an informed decision. We, in turn, are dealing with people who are well-informed and better psychologically prepared for what may lie ahead.
“Magura’s Special Perks”
Despite the challenging circumstances, representatives of the 47th Brigade strive to create the simplest and most straightforward conditions possible for recruits. Magura has its own “special bonus”—it is one of the few units in the Ukrainian Defense Forces that helps foreign volunteers reach their duty stations from all corners of the world:
– We have dedicated volunteers in Europe who are ready to assist with transportation. If we’re talking, for example, about volunteers from Latin American countries, their task is to arrive on our continent. Then, in any European country, they are met by a volunteer who can provide lodging, food, and wait until a bus arrives within a day or two to take the volunteer directly to Ukraine. At the border, our soldiers meet them and assist with the entire process—from paperwork and preparation to arrival at the appropriate brigade unit.
Full support and team values
“We provide full support at every stage,” says Vyacheslav. “Help with paperwork, logistics, and translators to overcome language barriers.” If needed, we also help directly with adaptation within our unit. We try to do everything possible so that both Ukrainian and foreign volunteers can focus as much as possible on training and carrying out combat missions and not be distracted by the difficulties of resolving legal, domestic, social, or other issues. If a person is unable to serve due to injury or other reasons, we try to care for our veterans and provide them with whatever assistance we can. In turn, among Magura’s veterans are people who have returned to their homeland but continue to volunteer, helping the brigade in particular and Ukraine as a whole with the means available to them.
The 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade was forged in the flames of Ukraine’s War of Independence. Its soldiers fought a counteroffensive in the south, endured fierce battles for Avdiivka, repelled the occupiers in the Kurkiv region, and now hold a critical and dangerous sector. The unit actively uses the most modern and best-in-the-world weaponry, including American M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, German Leopard 2 tanks, and, of course, is at the forefront in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and ground-based robotic systems. These men and women know how to make history with masterful, fierce, and uncompromising determination, turning armed Russians into “good guys.” Foreign volunteers are an integral part of this glorious history, and anyone who feels they have what it takes to be among the best can join.
You can learn more about the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade “Magura” and join it on the official website.
To learn more about foreign volunteers in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and join them, visit the official website.
Text by Volodymyr Patola
Video, photos: Volodymyr Patola, Dmytro Tolkachov, Oleksandr Becker
Video editing: Oleksandr Becker
Translation by Dmytro Tolkachov.
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