Georgian National Legion commander Mamuka Mamulashvili and his fighters refute Russian claims that the legion was destroyed by Russian forces. Legion members say this is yet another Kremlin disinformation campaign against Georgian fighters who, together with Ukraine’s Armed Forces, are fighting against Russian aggression. Neither the Ukrainian military nor anyone else has confirmed the Legion’s alleged demise.
Citing the Russian Defense Ministry as their source, Russian media are disseminating stories claiming that during the battles for Lysychansk (Luhansk province, eastern Ukraine) the Russian army allegedly killed 14 “mercenaries” fighting on the Ukrainian side, including Georgian Legion fighters. Russia’s Defense Ministry called the legion a “bandit formation” and the fighters “criminals.”
Some Russian media even went so far as to claim that the Russian military destroyed the entire Georgian National Legion.
Formed in 2014, the Georgian National Legion has been fighting on the side of Ukraine since 2014.
In a June 28 interview with Radio Liberty, Georgian Legion commander Mamuka Mamulashvili called Russian claims about the Legion’s demise Kremlin propaganda. He pointed out that Russian propagandists regularly attempt to discredit the Legion and its work on the side of Ukraine.
“We did not incur any losses. All this is Russian propaganda, directed against the Georgian Legion. They’ve made several documentaries about us and today I would not be surprised if in the coming week they announce that they destroyed one of our units, but this is a lie, this is Russian propaganda,” Mamuka Mamulashvili said.
Georgian National Legion fighters are also refuting these Russian media claims on their social media accounts, calling the reports of the Legion’s demise grossly exaggerated. Legion fighter Livan Fifia wrote on his Facebook page that reports about the Legion being destroyed are not true, and pointed out that other members of the Legion were alive and well.
“Russian special services are spreading lies claiming 14 servicemen of the Georgian Legion were killed. I draw your attention to the fact that the entire legion is alive and safe. I gladly say to the families of the fighters who serve in the Georgian Legion – don’t worry, everything is fine,” Livan Fifia wrote.
No Ukrainian military source or any other outside source has confirmed any Georgian Legion losses.
Russia’s Defense Ministry calls the Georgian Legion a “bandit formation” and its members “criminals” and mercenaries. This is yet another Kremlin attempt to discredit foreigners fighting for Ukraine. In an interview with the Ukrainian Liga.net publication, International Legion spokesman Damien Magrou explained that background checks were carefully conducted on all international fighters.
Presently the Georgian National Legion is the largest foreign formation in the Ukrainian army. Approximately 1,000 of these servicemen are special operations forces, and units within different Ukrainian Armed Forces brigades. The Georgian National Legion, like other foreign units fighting for Ukraine, are not mercenaries. According to the provisions of the Geneva Conventions for the Protection of Victims of War of 1949 and the Convention’s Additional Protocols of 1977, these fighters have the legal status of combatants. This means that these fighters, if they are taken prisoner, have the right to be treated as prisoners of war. Read more about this in the StopFake article – “Fake: Foreigners fighting for Ukraine are mercenaries.”
