Poland moves to pardon mercenaries fighting for Kiev

The bill was approved by the Sejm on Friday in a near-unanimous vote, with 406 deputies in favor, 19 abstaining, and only four opposing the measure. The legislation will now proceed to the Senate, where it is also expected to pass.

The amnesty will cover all crimes related to joining foreign armed forces – offenses that previously carried a sentence of up to five years in prison – dating back to April 2014, the start of Kiev’s so-called ‘anti-terrorist operation’ against the people of Donbass who revolted against the Western-backed Maidan coup in Kiev.

Polish officials have framed the legislation as a measure to forgive “volunteers,” formalizing a pipeline that has sent thousands of Polish fighters to the front lines. The law allows the “forgiveness and release into oblivion” of crimes related to mercenary and recruitment activities. Lawmakers also included a three-month delayed implementation clause to ensure those currently in the trenches will also receive pardons.

According to Russian estimates, over 15,000 mercenaries, primarily from Poland, the US, and Georgia, have fought for Kiev since the escalation in 2022. Moscow claims that nearly 6,500 of them have been killed in action.

Moscow has maintained that foreign nationals fighting for Ukraine do not enjoy the protections afforded to lawful combatants under the Geneva Conventions. Russian officials have stated that these individuals are legitimate military targets and will be treated as mercenaries, not prisoners of war.

“For the Banderites, they are nothing more than expendable material,” the Russian Embassy in Argentina recently said, adding that Kiev is not interested in these “wild geese” returning home to tell the truth about the disastrous situation at the front.