"Gaddafi" comes from a suburb of the Croatian city of Split. Until recently, he was a football fan, and now he is a rifleman in the International Legion of Defense of Ukraine. He joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine in August 2024.
After completing basic general military training, he bravely performs combat missions.
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"Gaddafi" first heard about the war in Ukraine back in 2014, when he was a football fan and semi-professional player, actively interested in the lives of Croatian football players in Ukraine, including Dario Srna from Shakhtar Donetsk and Ivica Olic from Dynamo Kyiv.
- I am a real football fan and I love Ukraine. Our countries have a lot in common, says the legionnaire.
But the man learned about the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army after the Booking service canceled his hotel reservation in Kyiv:
-I was planning to spend a vacation in Kyiv around January or early February 2022... And then I received an email in which Booking said something like: “Forget about it - the war has started, the volunteer jokes.
In his opinion, the Croatian authorities could have provided more assistance to Ukraine in its struggle for independence.
- When I heard that war had broken out in Ukraine, I could no longer sleep properly. I could not look at myself in the mirror. I was taught when I was a child: “Go do something, or sit quietly”. I would not sit quietly. In the end, I went to Poland and headed to a checkpoint on the Ukrainian border. There was a bus with the military (International Legion of Defense of Ukraine - ed.). I said I wanted to join, - "Gaddafi" recalls. His subsequent service in the International Legion made a strong impression on him, which the veteran shares with a sincere smile:
- “It was something incredible: a mixture of nationalities, like a construction set. People from different countries - from the United States to Taiwan - with roughly the same values and IQ. You don't know all these people, but after a while, everyone feels comfortable and grows together. For me, it was easy. Now we're fighting desperately here. Not the way you can see it on YouTube. If you come here, you come to fight for Ukraine. It's not just a trip, it 's a call of the soul.
After the interview, our interlocutor returned to the area of combat operations. The outward modesty, sociability and subtle irony in his communication sometimes make us forget that we are looking at a desperate warrior with unique combat experience and outstanding deadly skills. The hero's background includes five missions to the hottest spots of the Russian-Ukrainian war, participation in dangerous missions, and a brutal and exhausting confrontation with a numerous enemy who does not shy away from any means. The Croatian enjoys great trust and respect from his comrades, which is worth a lot in such circumstances and speaks volumes.
- I consider myself a Ukrainian warrior. I start the morning with a prayer with my guys ... And I will fight here with them until the victory.
After the war, "Gaddafi" dreams of going to Buenos Aires, one of the cities where the cult of football reigns, but he does not plan for the future now, because the fighting is ongoing and it is foolish to make predictions. The legionnaire has found his destiny and does not intend to deviate from his chosen path.
Yevhen MALIENKO
Photo by Oleksandr Zakletskyi
For reference:
The International Legion of Defense of Ukraine operates in the form of military units as part of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The personnel of the International Legion of Defense of Ukraine are members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, perform the same duties and enjoy the same rights, including financial and social security, as other members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Citizens of other countries serve in the International Defense Legion of Ukraine alongside Ukrainians.
In this case, foreigners can conclude the first contract for military service in the International Defense Legion of Ukraine for a period of six months.
You can contact representatives of the International Defense Legion of Ukraine on issues related to military service by following the link:
Those who wish to join the brave or try themselves can fill out questionnaires at: https://ildu.legion.army/
The official mailbox where candidates for service in the International Defense Legion of Ukraine can send their applications is [email protected].
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