Inside the relative security of a sturdy building, the 17 men walk around, chatting until the alarm goes off and their military exercises continue. Soon, however, there will be no such hiding place. The British and their brothers in arms – from countries such as the US, Canada, Norway, Italy and France – have completed five weeks of training and will be sent to the front lines as part of a fighting force known as the International Legion for the Territorial Defense of Ukraine. They know very well from those who have already served the horror that awaits them. U.S. officials have spoken of a new major offensive in the capital, Kyiv, despite claims by the Kremlin that they are withdrawing to the north of the country in honor of the ongoing peace talks. “If anyone says they’re not afraid, they’re lying,” said James, 22, of Salford. “But I have come so far, I am not going to go back now. I have seen too many sad things to turn my back on these people… “The Russians say they are pulling back, but as you can see the alarm is ringing – they are not pulling back and, even if they do, they are just going to pull back because they are completely forged, disassemble, and attack somewhere else or attack here.” Ever since Volodymyr Zelesnskiy, the president of Ukraine, announced the formation of his foreign legion in early March, tens of thousands of people from around the world, some with military backgrounds and many without, have arrived in Ukraine. major international brigade from the Spanish Civil War. The legion last week temporarily stopped recruiting those who had no experience due, in part, to a lack of firearms. But there is a sense among British forces already here that their presence, although not publicly ratified, is being privately accepted in London. Foreign Minister Liz Truss’s comments at the beginning of the war, in which she said she would “absolutely” support those who volunteered to fight, only confirmed this sentiment, despite the subsequent retreat. James says he was stopped at Manchester airport as he was leaving and told he would be arrested for terrorism on his return if he fought, but he is not worried. “I’m not doing anything illegal,” he says. The American commander of British fighters in Kyiv. Photo: Daniel Boffey / The Observer “According to my contacts in the military intelligence service, they are grateful for the veterans who enlisted,” said Paul, 27, of Greenwich, who served in the British Army’s Mercian Regiment between 2011 and 2016. That said, there is nothing gung-ho about the three Britons. There is no blood draw. “Obviously, the intention is not to kill anyone, no intention is ever to kill anyone,” says Paul. “But the Russians are going further than the government allows.” One of the three refused to be interviewed. But James and Paul, polite, polite and lithe, were willing to talk about their motives and background, even though their true identities have been disguised. They both spent time in childcare, they say, and saw something in the desperate opposite state of Ukraine that would give them purpose. James, who had no military experience before leaving for Ukraine a week after the Russian invasion on February 24, says he lost his job working in a warehouse and spent time on the streets. “I needed help and I did nothing at home. My life was going downhill, so I thought I could do something better and help people who needed it. “I did not think I would go very far because I had no experience, but I did well and here I am.” After spending his savings on flights, James arrived in the Polish city of Przemyśl near the border with Ukraine before hitchhiking to a refugee camp. From there, he jumped into a car with some Ukrainian expatriates returning to fight, and flew across the border to the western city of Lviv, where he registered. He was initially in the hands of former US Special Forces personnel who provided him with some basic training before joining the current unit. It was a difficult five weeks. “It’s all foreign to me,” he says. “It is new. But it is basically common sense. Once you do, most things happen to me naturally. I hope I remember it in battle “ He adds: “I told my mom and dad that I was coming here, but I did not tell anyone else. Mom and Dad agree with this now because they are proud of me. They know what’s happening. Obviously they do not want me to be here. “They want me to go home.” James believes he can rebuild his life in Ukraine. “I want to get citizenship and join their paratroopers,” he says. Its commander, Bruce, 38, of Wisconsin, says he believes the young Briton is ready for battle. A Ukrainian soldier, Vitaly Bilyak, 26, says there were already British fighters on the front line, proving their worth. Paul had thought that his experience in the British Armed Forces could be useful. He quit his job as a cabin crew for easyJet and initially came to the aid of a humanitarian organization to evacuate people from the focal points of the conflict around Kyiv. He is now training Ukrainian soldiers, who admit they can be “happy”. But they need it. He will participate in the race. And it’s a reason he can believe. “I do not like bullies,” he says.
