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2nd Battalion International Legion (Ukraine)

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2nd Battalion International Legion
2 батальйон Інтернаціонального легіону
2 batalion internacionalnogo legionu
Shoulder sleeve insignia
ActiveSummer 2022[1] - present
Country Ukraine
TypeForeign volunteer battalion
RoleLight infantry
Size500 (Estimated September 2022)[2]
Part ofInternational Legion Defence of Ukraine
Motto(s)"Viribus Unitis"
Engagements
WebsiteOfficial Website
Official Facebook page
Commanders
Current
commander		Col. Ruslan Myroshnychenko (October 2022 - present)[3]
Insignia
Field insignia

The 2nd Battalion of the International Legion (Ukrainian: 2 батальйон Інтернаціонального легіону, romanized: 2 batalion internacionalnogo legionu), also commonly referred to as 2nd International Legion, is a formation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, functioning as part of the International Legion Defence of Ukraine formed in the summer of 2022.[4][1] The battalion is one of three combat units within the structure of the International Legion, consisting of fighters from several countries. According to the battalion's website, fighters of the battalion come from 30 countries including: Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus, Moldova, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, England, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Faroe Islands, Belgium, Cyprus, Israel, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Australia, Japan and United States.[5]

The battalion is currently deployed at one of the hottest areas of the frontline in eastern Ukraine, and has been involved in the Luhansk Oblast campaign along the Svatove-Kreminna line since the Kharkiv counter-offensive of 2022.[6]

History

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Formation

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Infantrymen of the battalion, with an AK-74M during rifle training, March 2023.

On 27 February 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an announcement declaring the establishment of an international fighting force to assist in defending the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine amidst the Russian invasion.[7][8] Alongside the founding of an International Legion, different battalions, teams and groups were formed, and each battalion became standalone fighting units.

Initially several battalions including the 1st Infantry Battalion, the 'Wolf Hound' Battalion, the 'Special Purpose Battalion' and what became the 3rd Legion Battalion were created within the International Legion, with the 2nd Battalion being officially formed several months later from a combination of existing teams, members of the 'Special Purpose Battalion' and Georgian Legion, legionnaires transitioning from other army units, and newer recruits.

It was reported that the battalion had been created during the combat operations undertaken by the International Legion during the Kharkiv counteroffensive in September 2022.[1] The unit was formed on the basis of First International Company of Ukrainian Special Operations Forces.[citation needed] Indications for another battalion being created in the International Legion date back prior to Bohdan, a previous leader of the 1st Infantry Battalion, stating that weapons allegedly going missing were diverted to another unit within the Legion.[9]

The battalion was formed by recruiting individuals from several nations with its insignia reflecting this, initially and largely comprising: Ukrainians, Belarusians, and Georgians, who were initially part of a 'Special Purpose Battalion'. Over time many other fighters of different nationalities have joined the 2nd Battalion, which include: British, Indians, Canadians, Polish, Colombians, Americans, and many more.[5][10] It was reported that the formation of the 2nd Battalion of the International Legion indicated that a fairly large number of foreign soldiers have joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the defence against the Russian invasion.[11]

Insignia

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The first insignia of the battalion was a shield divided vertically. Central to the design was a vertical silver sword with a gold hilt, extending from top to bottom of the shield, the pommel of the sword featured a NATO emblem. The upper left half of the insignia displayed a Ukrainian flag, also referred to as the Ukrainian war flag with the colours being red and black as opposed to the traditional blue and yellow colours. The upper right side of the insignia was divided into two flags, the top being the flag of Georgia, and the bottom being the Free Belarus flag. These flags were chosen to reflect the nationalities of the vast majority of the battalion's initial members, predominantly Ukrainians, Georgians, and Belarusians, as well as to free these nations from Russian aggression.

The insignia also featured a variant with a tab on top of the shield, bearing the battalion's motto inscribed: "Viribus Unitis".

On 14 August 2023, the battalion changed its insignia design, being similar to the insignia of the 1st Infantry Battalion of the Legion. The new insignia changed drastically, with a shield in a red border containing a knights helmet and spear in the centre, with the upper tab being attached to the main shield with the inscription "Viribus Unitis" displayed once again. The commander of the battalion, Colonel Ruslan Myroshnychenko, stated in an interview that the insignia depicted a legionnaire warrior who consciously chose to fight for freedom, independence and justice.[6]

Visual Insignia

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  • Former shoulder sleeve insignia of the 2nd Battalion.
    Former shoulder sleeve insignia of the 2nd Battalion.
  • Former shoulder sleeve insignia, subdued variant, of the 2nd Battalion.
    Former shoulder sleeve insignia, subdued variant, of the 2nd Battalion.
  • Current shoulder sleeve insignia of the 2nd Battalion.
    Current shoulder sleeve insignia of the 2nd Battalion.
  • Current shoulder sleeve insignia, subdued variant, of the 2nd Battalion.
    Current shoulder sleeve insignia, subdued variant, of the 2nd Battalion.

Equipment

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Small arms

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First-person view of a soldier, with an FN FAL, in the battalion during combat, September 2023.

The battalion uses many different small arms weapons, official publications by the brigade show an extensive mix of Western and Soviet/Russian surplus of rifles. Primarily, soldiers utilise rifles within the Kalashnikov rifle series, such as the AKM, AK-74, AK-74M, and the AKS-74U.[12][13] These rifles have also been seen with other modifications to improve the reliability and accuracy of the weapon, including foregrips, stocks, suppressors, telescopic sights, and new parts of the rifle including dust covers and handguards to improve ergonomics.

Additionally, other small arms such as machine guns include the Soviet PKM machine gun, as well as Western made light machine guns such as the M240B in service of the brigade. Several RPK variants have also been seen in use, as well as deriatives of the infamous MG-42 general purpose machine gun.[14][15][16]

Other weapons within the unit also include the FN FAL which have been seen prominently across the International Legion's armory.[17] Several other Western small arms such as AR-15 pattern rifles have also been spotted in use.[18]

As of July 2024, the brigade utilizes the following small arms:

Russo-Ukrainian War

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Russian invasion of Ukraine

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Battle of Donbas (2022) and Luhansk Oblast campaign

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Svatove-Kreminna line: Battles of Lyman, Yampil, Tors'ke, Serebryansky Forest & Kreminna

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In late 2022, the Legion 2nd Battalion were deployed to the northeast of the Donetsk region near Lyman, which is nicknamed 'The Gates of the Donbas'. Thence, the 2nd Battalion participated in the counteroffensive that led to the recapture of Lyman and the successful advance to reclaim part of western Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine's easternmost region, which was completely occupied by the Russians until December 2022.[19] Two fighters of the 2nd Legion were reported killed in late spring 2023; Volodymyr Trish from Lviv[20] and Tarlan Osmanov from Baku, Azerbaijan.[21]

While Lyman was recaptured, along with Yampil, Dubrova and Bilohorivka by the end of December, the Russian retreat back into Luhansk region stalled before the occupied cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk at the end of the Battle of the Donbas (2022), and thus the Luhansk Oblast campaign began with the Legionnaires of the 2nd Battalion fighting in an outpost sector towards occupied Kreminna in the Serebryansky forest.

This sector is referred to as 'The Lyman Front' and to its near-south, 'The Siversk front'; alternately, for two years as of autumn 2024, the theatre has been called 'The Kupyansk-Lyman axis' or the 'Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line'. Battles have raged with consistent ferocity along the sixty-kilometre front between eastern Kharkiv oblast and the western Luhansk region since October 2022.

On 25 June 2024 it was published that the 2nd Battalion of the International Legion had been holding positions in the Serebryansky forest for more than one year.[22] Publications by the battalion show the unit in combat in the Serebryansky forest date as far back as 5 June 2023, holding positions after the collapse of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.[23][24]

The New York Times published a piece on the Legion 2nd Battalion in April 2024, in which the close-range fighting at their 'remote trench outpost in the forest' was described, with daily fights at distances between thirty-five and seventy metres away from the enemy, confirmed by the article's author as being engaged at 'less than ninety yards'.

In June 2024 in the Serebryansky forest, a group of Colombian volunteers in the battalion successfully assaulted Russian positions with no losses. The commander of the group was reported to be an individual by the name of "Salmo", who would later be killed in action in the defence of Ukrainian positions in the forest in July 2024.[25]

Structure

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As of July 2024 the battalion's structure is as follows:

  • 2nd Battalion International Legion
    • Battalion's Headquarters
    • Alpha Company
    • Bravo Company
    • Charlie Company
    • FPV Crew
    • Aerial Reconnaissance
    • Mortar and Grenade Crew
    • Sniper Platoon
    • Chaplain Service

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "2-й Інтернаціональний Легіон шукає військового зі знанням іспанської мови: опис вакансії". Новинарня – новини України, що воює (in Ukrainian). 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  2. ^ MacKinnon, Mark (2022-10-26). "Ukraine's Foreign Legion offers a shot at redemption for fighters from around the globe". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  3. ^ "Сьогодні у командира 2-го Інтернаціонального Легіону полковника Руслана Мирошниченка День народження. Дружня багатонаціональна родина Легіону вітає..." Facebook. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  4. ^ "Другий Інтернаціональний Легіон оборони України успішно виконує бойові завдання на одному із найгарячіших напрямків східного фронту. Наші бійці -..." Facebook. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  5. ^ a b "The Second International Legion of defense of Ukraine". Другий Інтернаціональний Легіон Оборони України. 2004-03-29. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  6. ^ a b "Інтернаціональний легіон поповнює статистику втрат ворога". АрміяInform – Інформаційне агентство АрміяInform (in Ukrainian). 2023-09-27. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  7. ^ McKernan, Bethan (2022-02-27). "Ukraine appeals for foreign volunteers to join fight against Russia". the Guardian. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  8. ^ "Ukraine establishing foreign legion for volunteers from abroad". Reuters. 2022-02-27. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  9. ^ Telishevska, Sofiia (2022-12-02). "The Kyiv Independent: The commanders of the Foreign Legion are probably involved in the theft of weapons. MDI has started checking". Бабель. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  10. ^ "Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  11. ^ "Бійці Інтернаціонального легіону були ефективними під час "Битви за Київ"". Інформаційний портал «Моя Київщина» (in Ukrainian). 2024-02-06. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  12. ^ "Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  13. ^ "Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  14. ^ "Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  15. ^ "Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  16. ^ "Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  17. ^ "Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  18. ^ "Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  19. ^ "25 червня 2023 року 2 Інтернаціональний Легіон отримав своє бойове хрещення на теренах Донеччини". Facebook. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  20. ^ "Володимир Ярославович Тріщ". heroipto.lviv.ua. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  21. ^ "25 червня 2023 року 2 Інтернаціональний Легіон отримав своє бойове хрещення на теренах Донеччини". Facebook. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  22. ^ "Вже понад рік 2 Інтернаціональний Легіон оборони України тримає свої позиції в Серебрянському Лісництві, не даючи противнику можливості просуватися, та і..." Facebook. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  23. ^ "Поки наші пілоти БПЛА виконують задачі з виявлення позицій ворога, їх побратими забезпечують надійне прикриття. Кожна група Другого Інтернаціонального..." Facebook. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  24. ^ "Ми, бійці Другого Інтернаціонального Легіону оборони України готуємося до виконання бойових задач на сході. Для збереження життів наших побратимів нам..." Facebook. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  25. ^ "Червень 2024. Серебрянській ліс. Штурм і зачистка позиції – Colombian style. Працює група колумбійських добровольців під керівництвом їхнього..." Facebook. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
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