The International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine is a volunteer foreign legion military unit which was created by the government of Ukraine on 27 February 2022 on the request of President Volodymyr Zelensky to fight against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Announced and advertised by Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, the legion recruited foreign volunteers through Ukrainian defense attaches at Ukrainian embassies across the world. By 3 March 2022, 16,000 foreign volunteers had registered their interest in joining the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine, and, that same day, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov warned that captured international volunteers would not be treated humanely or given prisoner-of-war status, viewing them as unlawful mercenaries.