Viribus Unitis: 2nd International Legion Reassigned to Assault Forces

The restructuring of all battalions previously under the umbrella of the Інтернаціональний легіон subordinated to the Ukrainian Ground Forces, has been completed. The final battalion, namely the 2-й Міжнародний легіон, has officially been integrated into the 253-й штурмовий полк, marking the final stage in the Legion’s transition into the newly formed Assault Forces.

Opposition to Disbandment

The 2nd International Legion, being the last unit to be disbanded, was also the most vocal of the four battalions in opposing the disbandment process. In an interview with Українська правда, Lieutenant Colonel Andriy Spivak, the battalion’s deputy commander argued – that the unit was experimenting with light infantry tactics combined with drone operations, a concept approved by the then Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, Михайло Драпатий, in January 2025.

“We are the only military unit in the Armed Forces that is testing changes in the tactics of light infantry operations – that is, the bread and salt of the entire army. We are working on an organic combination of drones and infantry operations.“

“The concept was approved by the commander of the Ground Forces, Drapatiy, in January of this year. Under this concept, we developed programs, spent money, and engaged the best instructors of the Ground Forces at the training grounds – to train both infantry and UAV crews. And since May, we have begun testing this tactic at the front: first in the Pokrovsky direction, now in a different, but no less hot, direction.“

Additionally, he raised concerns that the battalion, and the Ukrainian Defense Forces in general, risked losing foreign volunteers, due to the negative impacts of the recruitment process becoming more complicated for foreign applicants.

While Spivak’s concerns highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the liquidation of his battalion, many of these arguments are questionable. The integration of light infantry and drone tactics for military operations has been a concept widely explored since the first year of the full-scale invasion, used in many roles. Additionally, many units have scaled far beyond anything that the battalion could handle itself, and has seen far more success and utilization on the frontline for many years.

The potential impact on foreign recruitment however remains more of a valid concern, as the International Legion was long recognized as an entry point for foreign volunteers, even though an increasing number of highly-experienced, well-renowned units have opened up recruitment to foreigners in recent years.

As the year came to a close, the battalion was formally disbanded on December 31, 2025, along with the rest of the International Legion under the Ukrainian Ground Forces, beginning its transition into new formations.

Transition into Assault Forces

Confirmation of the battalion’s reassignment first emerged on February 10, 2026, with a доповідь based on information given by Ruslan Myroshnychenko, founder and former commander of the 2nd International Legion, stated that the unit had been integrated into the 253-й штурмовий полк.

This development contradicted earlier assumptions that the battalion would be possibly reassigned to the 475-й штурмовий полк, like the two other battalions inside of the Legion’s umbrella. This was due to the fact that only a limited number of foreign volunteers from these battalions had transferred, with estimates suggesting that just 10 to 20% of personnel from either unit completed the transition, with the rest abandoning their contracts to join other units, or leave the country entirely.

The integration of the battalion with the 253rd Assault Regiment, which traces its origins to the Українська добровольча армія, is a unique one. The Ukrainian Volunteer Army emerged from the former founder of Right Sector and the Добровольчий український корпус, which housed very small numbers of foreigners since the beginning of hostilities in Donbas in 2014. The arrival of these foreigners into the unit is rather an unusual, but welcoming change within the structure.

Structurally, the battalion remains as an infantry formation within the regiment. It is formally designated as the 3rd Infantry Battalion, but informally known as the International Legion Infantry Battalion as part of the regiment. The battalion will be responsible for securing newly captured ground and maintaining control of the line, whereas assault units are responsible for storming and advancing on enemy positions.

Additionally, with the battalion being integrated into the regiment, a new commander has also been assigned to replace the former battalion commander, Major Олександр Якимович. The new commander, Mykhola Velykyi, has an extensive career which began at the onset of violence in eastern Ukraine in 2014.

In a пост на офіційний канал у Facebook of the 253rd Assault Regiment, it also outlined how many soldiers had received misinformation, with a Spanish-speaking volunteer stating that he and many others had been told they were merging into the ranks of “jackals and bandits”, which caused concern among several foreign fighters, many of whom had previous experience in law enforcement in their home countries.

However, after speaking directly with the regiment’s leadership, the soldiers ultimately chose to remain with the unit and continue serving. The effectiveness of the integration of this battalion into the 253rd Assault Regiment will be visible within the next few months, with the same post by the unit on Facebook stating the fighters of the battalion are returning to Kharkiv Oblast to carry out combat operations to protect Ukraine.

A New Role for the International Legionnaires

While opinions continue to remain divided over the disbandment of the International Legion, the decision to integrate its personnel into established assault units rather then disperse them entirely appears to be a practical compromise; allowing them to continue their existence under a new unit, continuing their motivations to defend Ukraine while also retaining volunteers, and improving cohesion.

Units such as the 253rd and 475th Assault Regiments have already demonstrated their combat effectiveness over their existence, which paved the way for them both being expanded into larger formations – and now suitable options for foreign volunteer battalions to be reassigned to.

In the long term, the integration of foreign formations into permanent structures may help to ensure that foreign fighters remain a valuable component of Ukraine’s defense efforts, without undermining recruitment, however, also enabling and maximizing their effectiveness with stronger command structures and improved fire support.