Foreign Fighters and Vicarious Identity: The Georgian National Legion in Ukraine

Why do foreign fighters join wars in other countries? Moving beyond characterizations of foreign fighters as either profit-driven mercenaries or transnational terrorists, this event presents a theory of foreign fighters motivated by ontological security and vicarious identification. The theory is demonstrated by the case of Georgian fighters who see Ukraine’s struggle as their own and have fought on Ukraine’s behalf at higher rates than other nationalities. The robustness of this vicarious identity is explained by close subject-target alignment and reciprocity. Georgians’ ontological insecurities, rooted in their country’s geopolitical vulnerabilities and their government’s shift away from the long-standing pro-European foreign policy, led many to resort to vicarious identification as a source of ontological security. Ukraine served as an ideal target, embodying what many Georgians deeply desired: the courageous fight against Russia and the pursuit of a European future. Reciprocity from Ukrainian society and political leaders, who accepted and validated Georgians’ feelings and sacrifices, further strengthened this affective relationship. Highlighting how shared traumas and aspirations can create enduring transnational bonds, this research demonstrates how foreign fighters and vicarious identities transcend state borders and shape international security.