How Foreign Volunteers Can Protect Their Rights in Ukraine: Pylyp Orlyk Foundation Prepares Practical Materials
Pylyp Orlyk Foundation, in cooperation with the public organization “Spilka inozemnykh dobrovoltsiv” (Union of Foreign Volunteers), has prepared practical methodological materials. They will help foreign volunteers navigate legal and administrative matters related to military service and staying in Ukraine.
The materials cover a wide range of reference resources that systematize the procedure and the main legal procedures. In particular, they concern obtaining combatant status, formalizing Ukrainian citizenship, temporary and permanent residence permits, recognition of foreign educational documents, passing the military medical commission, as well as other issues related to military service.
As noted by Oleksii Yushchenko, Head of the Legislative Activity Department of the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation, Honored Lawyer of Ukraine and candidate of legal sciences, the need for such work was dictated by practical problems that foreign volunteers face during service and residence in Ukraine.
«As of today, quite a few foreigners are fighting in the ranks of the Armed Forces, the National Guard of Ukraine and other units, defending our state with weapons in hand. And these foreigners periodically encounter certain questions and problems that need to be resolved, in particular through reliable legal consultations», — says Oleksii Yushchenko.
A separate block concerns the legal aspects of unauthorized absence from military service and the legally established procedures for returning to service. The package also includes materials on the recognition of foreign educational documents in Ukraine. They explain where to apply, which documents are needed, and how the procedure for their submission and review works.
At the same time, the Foundation’s work is not limited to preparing explanations. In the process of working on the materials, together with representatives of the NGO “Spilka inozemnykh dobrovoltsiv,” they identified a number of provisions in current legislation that require normative regulation.
«There are certain imperfect provisions of legislation that require normative regulation. And as of today, we are working precisely on developing amendments to current normative acts so that the rights of foreign volunteers are properly protected», — notes Oleksii Yushchenko.
Thus, this work has two interconnected directions: preparing practical materials that will help foreign servicemen navigate the legally established procedures, and developing proposals for improving the normative framework.
According to Oleksii Yushchenko, foreigners who defend Ukraine together with Ukrainians should receive proper legal support.
«Defenders of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, being citizens of foreign states, must be under the special attention of Ukraine. And we must provide them with every kind of support so that their rights in Ukraine are properly protected», — emphasizes the head of the Foundation’s Legislative Activity Department.
After the work on the materials is completed, the most convenient format for their distribution will be determined. Among the possible options are a separate practical guide or a digital tool, in particular a chatbot.
The Pylyp Orlyk Foundation continues to work on preparing materials and proposals for normative acts, to make legal mechanisms for foreign volunteers more understandable and ensure proper protection of their rights in Ukraine.
Earlier, the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation team developed a bill on ensuring the right to participate in court hearings in videoconference mode.
