Latest news Ukraine

Ukraine’s 980,000-strong military gets green light for foreign deployments

Ukraine’s parliament overwhelmingly supported the measure allowing its 980,000 troops to train and operate abroad.

byOlena Mukhina

17/03/2025

3 minute read

fires break out two factories dnipro following russian drone strikes german-supplied flakpanzer gepard self-propelled anri-aircraft gun its ukrainian crew telegram/karymat forces launched large-scale attack against ukraine overnight 18 2025 targeting

German-supplied Flakpanzer Gepard self-propelled anri-aircraft gun and its Ukrainian crew. Photo: Telegram/Karymat

Ukraine’s 980,000-strong military gets green light for foreign deployments

The Ukrainian Parliament has announced that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a law authorizing the deployment of Ukrainian Armed Forces units abroad during martial law, according to UNIAN.

As of 2025, Ukraine has the largest army in Europe, with approximately 980,000 active personnel, surpassing other major European militaries like France, which has about 200,000 troops.

The legislation, passed by Ukraine’s parliament on 15 January 2025, is titled “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding the Deployment of Armed Forces Units to Other Countries During Martial Law” and was signed by Zelenskyy on 17 March.

The explanatory note says that Russia’s ongoing war has highlighted the need to improve the mechanisms for deploying Ukrainian troops—both individually and as units—to partner countries. The law will enhance Ukraine’s ability to receive and master complex military equipment essential for defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The bill has been approved by 317 Ukrainian lawmakers.

Under the new law, Ukrainian units can be stationed abroad during martial law to support Ukraine’s security, defense, and resistance to aggression, in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Zelenskyy will make deployment decisions while simultaneously submitting a draft resolution to the Ukrainian Parliament for parliamentary approval.

Ukrainian deputy Iryna Friz has explained that the law applies to all branches of the Ukrainian military, with particular relevance for the Navy, according to Espreso. She emphasized that it now provides a clear legal framework for deploying Ukrainian units abroad during martial law, addressing a previously unresolved issue.

“This legislation now provides a firm legal foundation, ensuring that all our troops deployed abroad will do so on fully legitimate grounds,” Friz stated.

She clarified that the law applies to all countries except the aggressor state and that the duration of deployments will be determined by regulations set by the Ministry of Defense.

Related:

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here

You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter

We are an independent media outlet that relies solely on advertising revenue to sustain itself. We do not endorse or promote any products or services for financial gain. Therefore, we kindly ask for your support by disabling your ad blocker. Your assistance helps us continue providing quality content. Thank you!