Edwin was a border guard, participated in the fight against a local powerful criminal group, and was involved in combat clashes. He was awarded the Colombian Struggle Medal and the Sword of Freedom. But after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian occupation forces, when he saw the news, the volunteer decided without hesitation to resign from the service and come to help Ukrainians.
Of course, Edwin's decision was not welcomed by his family:
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- My relatives were horrified when they heard about it, because the war in Ukraine is much worse than what I faced in Colombia. They still ask me to come back from time to time, but I have faith that I can help Ukraine. I've been to Kyiv and Ternopil. These are beautiful, clean cities. Everything is organized there. I liked it there.
Thanos joined the International Legion for Defence of Ukraine in March 2024. He fought in the Serebrianka Forest and in the Pokrovske direction. During the fierce battles, he gained the respect of his comrades, a reputation as an extremely brave and reliable person and a skilled warrior.
- The hardest thing during operations is to control yourself as a person and control your fears, the legionnaire shares his experience. “In the Colombian army, we were told that fear is in our heads. I have always tried to control my head. I also believe in God and I am sure that he protects me. When the mission is over, I try to forget everything that happened there and focus on the present and prepare for the next operation”.
Despite his difficult experience, Edwin retained a human and even noble attitude towards the soldiers, including the enemy. Nevertheless, there is a nuance when it comes to the russians:
- I respect any person who takes up arms, because it requires willpower. But I don't respect russians as people for what they are doing in Ukraine”, Thanos shares his views on life. ” What I like most about Ukraine is that people defend their country with all their hearts. When I don't have the fervor (inner fire in my heart), I will stop fighting. I respect the fighters of all nationalities who joined the Legion.
Edwin is a professional. He loves what he does and military service is his sober, balanced choice. A lifestyle that inspires him to do incredible things.
- I was born a soldier, says Thanos. “When the war in Ukraine is over, I will look for another place where I can be a soldier.
His comrades respect Edwin not only for his skill and professionalism, which allow him to successfully perform the most difficult and dangerous tasks, but also for his courage and reliability. Thanos is proficient with small arms, working with various assault rifles and machine guns. Many times the legionnaire has agreed to participate in difficult missions and returned victorious. Nevertheless, he is very cautious with his advice to other legionnaires or volunteers who intend to join the army:
- As for the psychological component, I can't give any advice. All people are different. You can't become a soldier - you have to be born a soldier. Everyone lives based on their character and willpower. These are personal decisions of everyone. As for the young guys who are going to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine, I think now is the right time to show Ukraine as a country that you are ready to defend it. In war, discipline is the most important thing. You have to fully understand that you are no longer a civilian, but a military man. You have to love what you do. You cannot just quit. A soldier needs to focus on his military life.
Like most people of action, Edwin is quite careful with his words. Still, he shares some secrets of his skills:
- To survive the first 10 minutes of your first battle, you need to be mentally prepared, have the right motivation and not ‘switch off’. You also need to use all your knowledge gained during training.
At the same time, a legionnaire is a deeply religious person:
- I believe in God and He always protects me. God gives me everything I need to control myself during the operation.
During combat missions, Thanos had to participate in rescue operations and medical evacuation of his comrades. Military brotherhood is of particular importance to him:
- I had to save my comrades. It happens in war, and you can't avoid it. In most cases, when your fellow soldier is wounded, you try to get in touch with him or ask someone how badly he is wounded and how his treatment is going. Later, when he returns to duty, you have a warmer relationship. My comrades are more than just colleagues. When you are in a dugout together, you share your fear with them, and they share it with you. You count on them, and they count on you. In the trench, we become one family. When you go on a mission, your colleague is not just a colleague or a friend. He becomes your family member.
Of course, participating in combat operations, especially in another country, is not a simple tourist trip. Combat operations always involve serious physical exertion. Sometimes such circumstances even become part of the folklore of the military subculture.
- We have a phrase: ‘You carry like a donkey, but you live like a king’”, says a legionnaire. By this aphorism, he means that various military equipment, primarily weapons and ammunition, is difficult to carry. But then, with good ammunition, the soldier has something to fight with and feels better during the battle, when there is no such urgent need to save ammunition or grenades. “If I am told to carry 20 grenades, I will. If I am ordered to carry a box of ammunition, I will do it, because I am a soldier.
The difference in the culinary traditions of Ukraine and Colombia has become almost a legend in the Legion, so Thanos does not mince words about his taste preferences:
- We don't like the food, but that's okay, because we're from a different country. We have a different culture and cuisine. Everything else suits me perfectly in Ukraine.
Despite the differences in culinary traditions, most Colombians and Ukrainians share much more important worldview positions. First of all, it concerns family values, respect for parents and the habit of protecting them under any circumstances. And here, a professional soldier, the formidable Thanos, is no exception:
- When I get off a mission, I call my mom and ask her to bless me, and I also talk to her. This is so that her fears go away and she knows that I have left the mission.
Edwin knows better than anyone how important courage, professionalism and motivation of each person in the unit are in combat conditions. For him, the Legion is much more than just a team, and being a soldier is more than just a profession.
- The decision to join the Legion is a personal decision for everyone, Edwin emphasizes. “Many people come here for different reasons, and when they arrive and face the realities of war, they are filled with fear. In my opinion, it is better to have 20 people in the Legion who will go on missions and fight than 60 who will just get in the way.
In the ranks of the International Legions for Defense of Ukraine, the bravest people from more than 75 countries fought against the russian invaders. They came from different parts of the world to stop the global evil of the twenty-first century with their weapons and courage. They are the legionnaires of the free world. And Thanos is one of the best among them. He is reserved in words, but explosive in deeds. Because he was born a soldier. Because he loves what he does and believes in it. And after difficult missions and fierce battles, he always finds time to call and reassure his mother.
To learn more about the International Legions for Defense of Ukraine, please follow the link.
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