The Russian reveals what is happening in Putin's forces. “He drank non-stop for two days”
“Die Welt”: You are Russian, but you fight on the side of Ukraine, against your own country. Why?
“Reagan”: I was influenced by propaganda, especially as a teenager. In 2015, I went abroad and lived in several European countries. There I started to see things differently. For as long as I can remember, the Russian regime has always promoted propaganda images of its enemies. Sometimes they are Americans, sometimes blacks, sometimes Jews. This hatred is omnipresent.
However, I realized that the regime spread it to divert attention from its own failures. It takes a common enemy to unite people behind each other. When the streets deteriorate or the healthcare system fails, others are always to blame. This logic has led us to where we are today.
Do you still have contact with Russia?
I lost a lot of contacts. Some of my family lives abroad, some in Russia, but I don't talk to them. I was still in contact with several friends when mobilization began in 2022. Some said they were only taking part in the three-day training. When rumors of a major invasion first surfaced, I was skeptical that it would happen.
Currently, there are no major breakthroughs on the front. What sustains your will to fight?
In war, much depends on chance. Death can come any day, perhaps because fallen comrades in arms can no longer come to help. Perhaps there will suddenly be no international support because someone else will make a decision. I can't plan for the future and I don't think about children or building a house in Moscow. War doesn't work like that. You have to believe in your goals and mission. If you start something, see it through to the end – that's what my parents taught me.
This approach is common in Russia and other post-Soviet countries. I don't want to give up without achieving anything. I believe we can at least help Ukraine defend itself. And maybe one day we will be able to make a difference in Russia too, with the support of the Ukrainian community and others.
Maximilian Andronnikov, one of the leaders of the legion, is suspected of having links with the Russian Imperial Movement, an ultranationalist organization. What role does this ideology play in your ranks?
The accusation concerns the past of our commander. Okay. 20 years ago he was an active member of the movement. He hasn't been there for 15 years. Today his political views are much more moderate. We are democratic and liberal, politically rather left-wing. Of course, there are also people among us with centrist or right-wing views. However, generally speaking, we represent rather left-wing views.
Are you aware that you will not receive the support you would like from European partners?
I don't like this reticence, but I kind of understand it. European governments are responsible for their own countries. If there is a lack of money for roads or infrastructure in France, people ask why. Constantly repeating that we are helping Ukraine does not work politically in the long run. However, my brothers and I – and, incidentally, volunteers from the United States and France – would like to receive more support. Nevertheless, we are very grateful for what we get.
You took part in battles with Russian troops. How do you assess their fighting power?
Most soldiers are poorly trained. Even at the beginning of the invasion, I believed it was wrong to believe that Russia could conquer Ukraine in three days. Previously, I had contact with Russian soldiers. They said they walked around the base, swept the streets and sometimes drank. In combat, regular units may have numerical superiority and greater firepower. However, they often lack training and morale. This is also due to the way they are recruited.
They are promised money, they have to sign something, and then they go to the front. There is little sympathy for them in Russian society. They then say that in the end it is their decision. Some of them are immediately taken away by the commander. We have also recorded particularly tragic cases.
Meaning?
When we take prisoners, we ask them how they were recruited. Some people then say that they had debts due to alcohol or other private problems. It often seems completely irrational. The Russians are in debt and believe that war is the only way out. One of the fighters was only 18 years old. He drank non-stop for two days, as did his girlfriend. Her brother was already fighting. Then the sentence was said: “are you too cowardly to go too?”
There are signs of growing war fatigue in Ukraine. How do you perceive the prevailing mood?
This is normal after four years of war that brought many victims. However, Ukraine is not waging war on foreign territory, where the question arises why Ukrainians have to die there. Those who fight on their own soil and have seen what happened in cities such as Mariupol do not give up. Even from exhaustion. Because everyone knows what happens then. People are killed, children are taken to Russia and re-educated. There is no choice.
Ukrainian actions on the front, March 24, 2026.NurPhoto via AFP
Were you planning to join the army before the war broke out?
NO. I never liked the army and I don't want to be a professional soldier after the war. But currently I see no alternative. Most of my colleagues were previously civilians, they had families and jobs. Today, the Ukrainian army consists mainly of such people. Many professional soldiers have died or are no longer physically and mentally fit to serve.
What ultimately prompted you to join the army?
A series of events such as the siege of Mariupol and the massacre in Bucha. I couldn't accept it, especially since my own country was responsible. Asking to join the military in another country was terrifying. But I met people who were united by one idea: that humanitarianism must prevail.
There is an ongoing debate in Germany about military conscription. What is your position on compulsory military service?
European armies are not bad employers. It is worth gaining experience there during peacetime, earning money and taking care of your physical condition. However, anyone who takes the threat of future wars seriously does not have to join the army immediately. Anyone can start running, quit smoking or go to the shooting range. You should also learn how to stop heavy bleeding. When someone loses a leg, every minute counts.
Are you following the peace negotiations also on the front?
Sometimes I read in the news about negotiations taking place over the phone somewhere. However, I don't think anything will change overnight. It won't be like we will suddenly wake up in the morning and have nothing to do. We are part of the Ukrainian army. If the Ukrainian government and people accept the agreement, we will respect it. But as Russians, we can continue our fight also independently. For example, through acts of sabotage against military and railway infrastructure. If we had to end our military activities here, we would continue them underground.
Spring is starting in Berlin and the streets are lively. How do you perceive this contrast in relation to Ukraine?
