There are lots of causes a foreigner may enlist to battle a conflict that has nothing to do with him.
One, after all, is cash. The open-ended contracts in Ukraine pay, on common, about $2,500 a month, a tempting sum for among the males who got here there from international locations with few good financial alternatives for them.
However some fighters on the submit within the woods for the Worldwide Legion, which was created on the route of the Ukrainian president within the days after Russia invaded in February 2022, mentioned they have been searching for one thing extra.
One soldier, a Pole who goes by the decision signal Konrad 13, described the conflict as a calling, even a blessing. Again dwelling, he mentioned, he had a troubled upbringing. Then, at age 41, he felt as if he was at a useless finish.
Sure, the pay is interesting, Konrad 13 mentioned, however so was feeling a way of function.
“Once I got here right here, my life modified,” he mentioned. “I began to develop right here. It’s been an evolution, and I’ve felt my life returned to me. I’ve modified and grow to be a special sort of particular person. That is my household now — my true household.”
Over the course of their rotation — the Ukrainian army forbids saying how lengthy it lasts, and what number of fighters are within the unit — the boys have been concerned in repeated engagements with the Russians throughout the best way. Through the day, combating flared up each three or 4 hours, usually lasting an hour. At night time got here the bombs.
On the finish of their rotation, with a contemporary group of troopers arriving to alleviate them, the troopers ready their packs for the journey out. However they needed to maintain off: A Russian drone had appeared overhead on the finish fringe of the final trench.
It was over an hour earlier than Tsygan cleared his males to enterprise into the open area separating them from the trenches and a second of peace.
Earlier than it was time to return to the battle.
