MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

Mixed emotions as first US 'foreign legion' fighters post videos from frontline of Ukraine-Russia war

The foreign volunteers flying in to assist Ukraine as part of an international legion are a mixed bag, with many having no prior combat experience

The first American volunteers on the frontlines of Ukraine have faced a backlash after many raised concerns about the perception of the US entering the war possibly deepening the conflict.

A number of clips made the rounds on social media on Thursday, March 24, with one showing an American in combat gear posing in front of burnt remains of what he claimed was a Russian tank. A Ukrainian was heard shouting off-camera, "Welcome to America!" In another video, a different soldier with an American accent showed a detachment of soldiers taking cover by a wall alongside a road in a village that was allegedly recaptured from Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces.

RELATED ARTICLES

Looters stripped and publicly humiliated by Ukrainian civilians amid Russian invasion

Joe Biden's defining moment: Will POTUS put boots on the ground in Ukraine?

According to The Guardian, the first video from the frontlines was posted by US army veteran James Vasquez, from Connecticut. He shared on his Twitter feed that he arrived in Poland on March 15 and crossed into Ukraine the following day, allegedly bringing with him several surveillance drones before he was sent to the frontlines from Lviv on March 18. “I kind of feel like I’m on an awesome very dangerous vacation,” he wrote, adding in another tweet, “When I need to amp myself up for battle, I just think about the most punchable face on the planet … Tucker Carlson.”

Vasquez recounted his experience of patrolling Ukraine and crossing a number of checkpoints by showing his US passport. “They are … shocked to see an American passport when I hit checkpoints,” he said. “They let me right through because they think it’s awesome an American soldier is here to fight alongside them.” The retired soldier said he was tasked to “find a pack of Russians spotted hiding by civilians” and that he used a drone to try and spot them. “Just went through six straight hours of combat," Vasquez tweeted a few hours later. "I have a crazy video I’ll post later. 2 men were shot but will be OK. One fatality," he added.

According to a report by the military news outlet Task&Purpose, the foreign volunteers flying in to assist Ukraine as part of an international legion were a mixed bag, with many having no prior combat experience. The report said there was “a swarm of Fantasists for every one candidate with experience in combat," and that the selection apparently "follows no discernible process other than separating those that don’t have military experience from those that do. The former are put through a four-week training course – the latter are given a weapon and sent to the front in ad-hoc units with a Ukrainian officer."

However, there was a major pushback on social media against US citizens volunteering in Ukraine on their own accord.

"War horny people like this will hopefully get their comeuppance, Russian style :)" one tweeted.

"Thanks for fueling the war, it is far from your homes, let the rest suffer," another wrote.

"They think this is Afghanistan. Putin will send them packing," a comment read.

"Americans fighting in/for Ukraine… I really hope these guys are volunteers and not acting within the US military. I think they’re wrong, gullible, and brave. I hope that they get scared and come back because it’s pretty dumb to fight someone else’s war," someone else added.

"This Should not be permitted of American citizens based on the harm that it can bring to Americans, resulting from other countries' perception of what is taking place (perceived as an act of war). Even if not officially supported by American Government, it is not a war for Americans," another chimed in.
 
 

Disclaimer: This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.