"MPs of the Russian Federation": New Russian volunteers have replenished the Armed Forces to fight against the Kremlin - NYT (photo)
The Legion "Freedom of Russia" is the name under which the famous unit of the Armed Forces was stationed in the Bakhmut area. Some of his fighters lived in Ukraine when a large -scale Russian invasion of February 24, 2022 began, while others crossed the border after the collision began. "We have not come here to prove something.
We are here to help Ukraine achieve the complete expulsion of Russian troops from the Ukrainian territory and the future deputies of Russia," said the soldier with Zaza's call sign, who reported that he was younger than 20 years. According to him, he joined the Armed Forces after the invasion of the Russian Federation. "At such a young age, it is somewhat too early to talk about political views and the outlook because they are just forming," he said.
"But when your country is passionate about one bad person, we need to take everything in your own hands. " The young man spoke against the invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine, and because of anti -war posts on social networks, he had problems with the university administration, and later with the police. When in the autumn the employees of the Russian special services appeared on the doorstep of his house, he decided that it was time to go.
Among the reasons why the Russians raised their weapons against their fellow citizens or former citizens are a moral protest against the actions of their native country, the desire to protect their second homeland, or aversion to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "A real Russian person will not participate in such an aggressive war, will not go to rape children, kill women and elderly people," said a Russian serviceman with a call sign "Caesar".
He listed the atrocities of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, which forced him to leave his hometown of St. Petersburg and fight on the side of Ukraine. "So I have no regrets, I do my job and kill many of them," he said. Due to the fears of revenge and persecution, none of the surveyed Russian soldiers agreed to name their true names or some biographical details. It was difficult for relatives in the Russian Federation to explain the decision to fight on the side of Ukraine.
The report of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces in the Kiev region, such as Bucha or Irpen, is called anti -Russian propaganda in the Russian Federation. "They do not understand. They were told that bad people live here, and they believe it. They do not think that the second largest army of the world can kill ordinary citizens," the serviceman explained. Last week, a group of new Russian volunteers graduated from Tritritz preparation in the Kiev forests.
They were taught from guns and first aid skills. They mastered Western weapons such as the French Caesar and the F-16 rifle. "This is better than Kalashnikov. I fired about a thousand rounds and no difficulties came from," the Russian said. In interviews, Russian soldiers used some Ukrainian words, but quickly switched to their native Russian. "After a month or two, they started using some short phrases," thank you "," fire "," one of the instructors explained.
The amendments made to the legislation of Ukraine in August allowed the formed unit to join the Armed Forces, although there was no such possibility before. In the Russian Federation, for its part, the Legion "Freedom of Russia" was recognized as a terrorist organization. We will remind that the Armed Forces struck the headquarters of the battalion "East" under the coal, using the vulnerability of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.