Story spotlight: Investigation into alleged misconduct in Ukraine’s International Legion (Part 2)
In August, we published our first investigation – and one of our most popular articles this year – a story about alleged leadership misconduct inside Ukraine’s International Legion. The first part of this investigation looked into the legion, created for foreign fighters defending Ukraine, and the allegations that its leadership was abusing power, harassing soldiers, and sending them on reckless missions unprepared.
On Nov. 29, we published the follow-up to this investigation, which looks at allegations of light weapons misappropriation within the International Legion. One example alleged by legionnaires is 50 M4 carbines, provided by the U.S., disappeared from an armory room and remain unaccounted for. The investigation also includes reports from legionnaires that certain commanders threaten and harass them, sometimes stealing their personal equipment.
For our next community event, we’ll talk with the authors of the investigation, Anna Myroniuk and Alexander Khrebet. They will share the insights of working on this follow-up and answer your questions.
The event is scheduled for Dec. 8 at 8 p.m. Kyiv time (1 p.m. EST).
This event is exclusive to our Patreon community members.
You can register and submit your questions for Anna and Alexander here: https://forms.gle/oaU3foMz77HtALGu5
Comments (12)
This is fascinating. I have been following this debate and the recent KI editorial on the subject. It gets to the heart of freedom, democracy and what the war is about. Churchill said during war the truth is so important it must be protected by a bodyguard of lies. I think what he was mainly referring to was an elaborate Allied deception plan to convince Germany that the main attack would come in the Calais area rather than Normandy. This meant a whole pack of lies about bogus armies etc. It worked. But it went further than that. Any reporting about American soldiers misbehaving in Britain was simply not allowed. Of course it happened but it was not reported in case it harmed British American solidarity. But the media is different now and widespread to ordinary citizens. And if KI knows about local corruption it should report it. There are always thieves. But if KI knows the next step is may be a 2000 tank assault on Moscow or perhaps Belarus or maybe taking out Putin or maybe a seaborne assault on Crimea, then it should not report it. That would be traitorous. But internal corruption should be reported. I thought the Ki editorial had it about right. Tom
Thanks for your reply, Tom! Hope you can come to the event today, too!
If people are risking their lives for the people of Ukraine, they deserve descent leadership not getting to the front line and finding the shortage of weapons. As for the moment about soft western attitudes, the people exposing the issues are trained soldiers not civilians playing at war. The Russian army has a awful moral due to their officers attitude, don't let that rot enter the Ukrainian forces. Professional attitudes will boost moral not bullying by bandit officers. Glory to Ukraine.
Investigation of corruption and toxic leadership during a war is what a professional army doe to be successful
I agree as CID in Iraq had no problem investigating allegations even worse was to get caught in a cover up
With 40 years of service,
Glad you are investigating.Make sure to resolve it so the public opinion in sending arms is not shaken by corruption.
Glory to Ukraine
I disagree as freedom of the press is why I served in my countries military for 30 years. And just like Black Water got busted in Iraq and Afghanistan same applies here. Telegram has channels that talk about the same problem. Censorship is wrong very wrong as your journalist just keep on doing what you are doing. Glory to Ukraine
It’s not about censorship. Black Water was a security company. We are fighting for our existence. As a westerner who has “gone native” in Ukraine, what’s at stake here is largely cultural misunderstandings. This is not something you sort out by giving the enemy fodder.
I don’t agree with this type of investigation during the war. It only provides the enemy with substance for their propaganda war. Having read the article I don’t see any real evidence of serious wrongdoing. It seems mostly to smack of western misunderstanding and misreading of Ukrainians or easterners in general. I am a westerner, and I know how soft and idealistic people from the west can be - and looking for utopia everywhere. This is a war. I know many French Foreign Legionnaires, and what you write pales into insignificance compared to what they experience. I’ve been a full supporter of Kyiv Independent since day 1 - my suggestion is to hash out this kind of problems, perceived or not, after the war!
I understand and agree with what you say. Churchill said in time of war the truth is so important it must be protected by a bodyguard of lies. But the ability of Kyiv journalists to criticise their own government and themselves in time of war is awesome. They have a bodyguard of truth. It makes them very powerful. Run Putin run