Georgian Legion joins Ukrainian Volunteer Army

The Georgian Legion, a volunteer formation composed primarily of Georgian fighters, has officially joined the Ukrainian Volunteer Army (UDA), led by Dmytro Yarosh. The announcement was made via an official press release from the UDA, with statements from both Yarosh and Mamuka Mamulashvili, the leader of the Georgian Legion.

As part of the integration, Yarosh presented the unit’s battle flag to Mamulashvili, symbolizing its formal acceptance into the ranks of the UDA.

“From this moment on, the warriors of the unit that is part of the UDA obey the commander of the UDA and act in the interests of defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country,” the announcement read.

The Georgian Legion is one of the first foreign volunteer units to defend Ukraine, having participated in combat operations since 2014. Originally, the unit fought independently while being attached to regular military formations. In 2016, it became part of the 25th Battalion of the 54th Mechanized Brigade, but left the brigade in 2017 following disagreements with its command.

During the 2022 Russian invasion, the Georgian Legion served within the Main Intelligence Directorate, and later, part of the unit joined the 1st Special Purpose Brigade (now the 1st Territorial Defense Brigade). In 2024, the legion became part of the Rangers’ 4th Assault Center of the Special Operations Forces before its recent integration into the Ukrainian Volunteer Army.

It remains unclear whether the Georgian Legion will continue serving within the Rangers’ 4th Assault Center or has been reassigned to another unit. Units of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army (UDA) operate across various branches of Ukraine’s Defense Forces, including the Ground Forces and the Main Intelligence Directorate.