Czech president allows 14 citizens to fight in Ukraine

That's according to Radio iRozhlas, Ukrinform reports.

"As of July 29, 2023, President Petr Pavel has signed a total of 14 positive decisions on his approval of the entry of Czech citizens into the armed forces of Ukraine," the president's spokeswoman, Marketa Rehakova, said.

In addition, Pavel rejected the request of eight people to join the Ukrainian army. Rehakova refused to comment on the reasons for the negative decision.

The permission of the head of state is a necessary step for those who want to legally help Ukraine at gunpoint. Czechs are otherwise prohibited by law from serving in foreign armed forces. If they went to Ukraine without obtaining this exemption, for which they are at risk of criminal prosecution, they can retroactively apply for abolition. No such request has come to the former or current president.

As many as 146 Czechs currently have the consent of the head of state to join the Ukrainians. Some 132 people were given the green light by former President Milos Zeman.

It is not clear how many Czechs actually went to Ukraine.

Photo: Ludvik Hradilek, Deník N