Shortly after the start of the Russian invasion, I saw on the news an appeal by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to foreigners to come and join the ranks of the Ukrainian army. And at that moment, an acquaintance of mine, who had already been to Ukraine, told me about the International Legion.

When I found myself in Ukraine, the first thing I was very impressed with was the high level of military training, especially in tactical medicine. In general, the Ukrainian military is very inventive, they use tactics. And it was very impressive to know the different combat techniques and how they do it. Here you need to understand that this war is progressing, and its techniques have changed since its very beginning.

The International Legion was the first place I came to. I was impressed by the high level of support here. I was provided with everything - from socks and warm underwear to modern protective equipment. I do not expect to receive as much equipment as I will receive.

But no less important is your mental readiness for war. When I arrived in Ukraine, I knew that I was facing an enemy army with the most modern weapons, tanks, planes and helicopters. This is not a fight against terrorists somewhere in the desert or in the mountains. This is a real war. Therefore, it is very important to be psychologically prepared and understand what others will face. This is not paintball - nothing like that!

I have a very good experience of serving in various units of the Ukrainian army. My comrades-in-arms always helped me if there was a serious problem. I never had a misunderstanding with other soldiers on the front line. They helped me and received help from me. Many of my combat comrades are Ukrainian military, and I maintain contact with most of them via social networks or WhatsApp. Here I have never had any problems with communication.

To those who are hesitant, I want to say the following. It doesn’t matter who you were before. What matters is whether you are ready to join the Ukrainian Defense Forces. If you come here with a good heart and good intentions, there will always be a worthy place for you in the ranks of the Ukrainian army. Do it.

Glory to Ukraine!