Ukrainian soldiers on tour to “make our voice heard in Europe”

Several Ukrainian soldiers have begun a tour of European cities to meet their compatriots living abroad and counteract misinformation about the war against Russia.

Four soldiers from Ukraine’s popular Third Assault Brigade began their meet-and-greets session on Sunday in the Polish capital, where tons of Ukrainian refugees have been living since more than two years of conflict.

“We have come to our people in Europe. Because they are our voice in Europe,” said Vitaly, a 21-year-old fighter with the call sign Gats, before the sold-out event in Warsaw.

“If Ukraine fails, Poland and the Baltic countries will be next. And they have to understand that. Russia will not stop. It will not stop at all,” he told AFP.

He spoke with his tour mates at the Odessa Club, a graffiti-covered artist loft and event venue in an industrial area of ​​downtown Warsaw.

This is followed by stops in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, the Czech Republic and Lithuania.

“You wanted to step in but didn’t know how? Come and ask the professional military in person,” the brigade said on Instagram last week.

“Only the truth about service in the brigade, stories from the front and real military flair,” it continued, along with a list of cities.

Vitaly said they wanted to give the civilian population an accurate picture of the reality on the ground.

“Because they will read Russian fake news on the Internet that everything is chaos, that everyone is dead and nothing is happening,” he said.

“That is why we share first-hand information and communicate with them on all issues,” added Vitaly, who said he was mourning the death of his brother at the front.

– “Reasons for my return” –

The tour comes at a time when Ukraine is trying to encourage military-age men living abroad to join the army.

Due to heavy casualties, the Ukrainian military now lacks the manpower to confront the advancing Russian forces, so the authorities have launched an aggressive recruitment campaign to replenish the army’s ranks.

But the soldiers visiting Ukrainians in Europe say they are not here to recruit.

“Everyone has their own choice. With our tour we are just telling our view of what is happening in the war,” said 32-year-old Viktor, who goes by the call sign Angel and has a shoulder tattoo of angel wings.

“We are not inciting anyone in any way. It always comes from the heart. Whoever loves their country will definitely go and do what we do,” he told AFP.

The show in Warsaw drew a crowd of 200, mostly young men, some of whom said they would consider returning to Ukraine and joining the fight.

“I came here to see the guys and hear what they have to say. Maybe they will give me reasons to come back,” says 22-year-old Yegor Matviyenko, a Ukrainian who has lived in Poland since the invasion.

He said he fled in June 2022 after Russian soldiers interrogated him and he felt it was a matter of “life or death.”

However, he admitted that he felt some guilt about not fighting in Ukraine.

This also applies to 26-year-old Oleksandr Tsertsek, who was outside the country at the time of the Russian invasion, working as a sailor in Asia and now works in various jobs in Poland.

“I want to be in Ukraine as soon as possible, but I am afraid. And I want to break this fear,” he told AFP.

“I came because I want to learn about the war first hand.”

While he said he was interested in enlisting, he added there are other ways to help.

“I think everyone is doing their part as best they can,” he said.

“Someone can be a good fighter and someone else can be a good supporter.”

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