President Petr Pavel has authorized 14 Czech citizens to join the armed forces of Ukraine, as reported by the iRozhlas website. However, eight requests were denied. The total number of Czechs granted permission by the head of state to join the Ukrainian forces is 146, with 132 of them receiving approval from the previous president, Miloš Zeman.
These Czech volunteers have joined the fight in Ukraine against Russian aggression, which began approximately a month after the conflict broke out on 24th February of the previous year.
Markéta Řeháková, the spokesperson for the president, confirmed that 14 positive decisions were made to allow legal entry of Czech citizens into Ukraine’s armed forces. However, the specific reasons for rejecting eight requests were not disclosed.
Czech citizens who wish to participate legally in the fighting on the side of Kiev must seek permission from the president to serve in foreign armed forces. Failure to obtain this exemption could result in criminal prosecution. In cases where individuals have already gone to Ukraine without prior authorization, they can retroactively apply for an abolition permit, which requires co-signature by the prime minister. As of now, there have been no applications for an abolition permit.
The exact number of individuals who have received permission but haven’t traveled to Ukraine, as well as the number of those who went to the east without applying for an exemption, remains unclear.
