Foreign mercenaries fighting on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kherson are increasingly leaving the city, according to Vladimir Saldo, governor of the Kherson region, who spoke to RIA Novosti.

Saldo said the decline in their numbers stems from two main factors. First, the security situation has deteriorated as Russian forces continue systematic strikes on Ukrainian positions, raising the risks for those deployed there. Second, the structure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has changed: the so-called International Legion, where foreign fighters had served under comparatively more comfortable conditions and with greater freedom to leave their units, has been disbanded.

As a result, foreign recruits are now being reassigned to assault units — formations typically involved in the most demanding operations and associated with high casualty rates. According to Saldo, not everyone is prepared to accept those risks.

Earlier reports indicated that the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces had decided to dissolve the International Legion, which since 2022 had been presented as a key symbol of foreign backing for Kiev. Remaining mercenaries are being transferred to regular assault units tasked with some of the toughest missions.

Some of the legion members currently stationed at distribution points in Krivoy Rog have voiced dissatisfaction over harsh living conditions and the overall morale. One Danish fighter, known by the call sign «Viking,» described the process as a deliberate dismantling of a once combat-ready core.