The Muslims fighting on Ukraine’s frontline

Although Ukraine is mainly Christian, it is also home to around half a million Muslims, accounting for around 1 percent of the population. The majority of them are Crimean Tartars, or Crimeans. The Crimean Tartars converted to Islam in the 14th century, and is today Ukraine’s largest Muslim population.

After the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, many of them were mobilised to fight alongside their Ukrainian countrymen. But there are not only Ukrainians fighting in the Muslim military ranks. Muslims from Caucasus, and in particular Chechnya, have also joined the fight by signing up to Chechen volunteer battalions, such as Dzhokhar Dudayev and Sheikh Mansur. In October last year, the Ukrainian parliament recognised the independence of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and Russia’s occupation of it.

Raid Abu Zaideh and Anaïs Guérard went to meet the Muslims who, along with fatigue-wearing imams and clerics, have joined the Ukrainian fight to repel the Russians.

Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning

Take international news everywhere with you! Download the France 24 app