Russian media, referring to the words of the representative of the Russian foreign ministry Mariia Zakharova, write that allegedly military personnel from the EU countries fought in Ukraine even before the start of the war. Like, they worked as instructors representing the Western intelligence services. Moreover, they were mere mercenaries. It is not true.

The EU countries have not sent and do not plan to send their military personnel to Ukraine. The High representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy, Jessepp Borel, noted that the EU intends to maintain the status of a “non-belligerent party”, therefore it can help everyone, except for the introduction of troops into the territory of Ukraine. Foreigners fight on the side of Ukraine exclusively on a voluntary basis: either in the ranks of the Ukrainian army, or as volunteers. The EU and international partners provide significant political, military, financial and humanitarian support to Ukraine. After the full-scale invasion, European countries not only increased aid to Ukraine, but significantly increased sanctions against Russia.

Russian propaganda tries to justify a full-scale invasion, discredit international assistance, and systematically spread messages about foreign mercenaries fighting for Ukraine. Thus, they feed the narrative that Russia is at war not with Ukraine, but with the “collective West”. Earlier, Russian propaganda said that Poles and Syrians were being recruited into the Ukrainian army. The propagandists also wrote that, along with weapons, Western countries are sending soldiers to Ukraine. More details.