Foreign Fighters in Contemporary Ukrainian Conflict Cover Image

Zahraniční bojovníci v soudobém ukrajinském konfliktu
Foreign Fighters in Contemporary Ukrainian Conflict

Author(s): Miroslav Mareš, Lukáš Visingr
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences
Published by: Univerzita Mateja Bela
Keywords: Foreign Fighters; Volunteering; Ukrainian Conflict; Separatism; European security

Summary/Abstract: This paper analyses participation of foreign fighters in contemporary conflict in Ukraine. The authors define the phenomena of foreign fighters in modern armed conflicts and briefly outline their historical development. The Ukrainian conflict is characterized and the challenges, possibilities and limits of research of foreign fighters in this conflict are explained. The authors deal with phases of the conflict in Ukraine from the point of view of engagement of these volunteers and describe foreign fighters on the Ukrainian side (mostly members of paramilitary far-right battalions) as well as on the side of pro-Russian separatists (with special attention paid to Russian fighters from the point of view of volunteering). The general impact of foreign fighters on Ukrainian crisis and on European security is assessed in the conclusion.

  • Issue Year: 18/2015
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 86-106
  • Page Count: 21
  • Language: Czech