“We stayed there until midnight talking only,” the Canadian recalled in an interview with Ukraine. “Speaking only of how, you know, jokingly, what we would do if the war had started. “There was a lot of anxiety, but I don’t think either of them really expected it to happen the next morning.”
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On February 25, Volzhanin’s vacation in Ukraine was to continue with a Louis CK comedy, and the next day he was to board a plane to France for a ski trip. But his plans changed quickly. Russian forces launched an offensive on 24 February. A few days later, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed a call that was heard around the world when he asked people from all over the world to help his country fight Russia. The story goes on under the ad Volzhanin has no military experience, but he enlisted in the so-called International Defense Legion of Ukraine anyway. He said he was the second of an estimated 20,000 people from 52 countries who have since volunteered to fight. “I felt it was the right thing to do,” he said. “When the war started, I had the choice to leave the country. Basically a car was waiting for me. And did I feel? I was born in Ukraine. So this is my home in a way and I felt like I wanted to defend it. “ Russia promises more blows to Kyiv after rocket attack Russia promises more blows to Kyiv after rocket attack The Canadians are one of the largest volunteer groups in the international legion, alongside those from the United States and Britain, according to a spokesman. The organization is growing and seeking more members with combat experience, even when the Canadian government and other Western powers warn their citizens not to go to war in Ukraine. The story goes on under the ad But it’s not just the experience the legion is looking for, Volzhanin said. It is also motivation. “You are the underdog, you are being bombed and the war is much more intense,” he said. “Death is a real possibility here.”
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Volzhanin, a 34-year-old former tech businessman who grew up in Mississauga, OD, wore a camouflage T-shirt one late Saturday and around 7 a.m. local time, it was already past many hours. When he was out, he said he was wearing about 12 kilos of armor, which he described as “quite light”. He is involved in evaluating candidates for the legion, the logistics and other duties as needed, he said. He likened the legion to a “startup” – in a “positive sense” – in which he started from the ground level to get things running. If he applied to join the legion now, he would not be accepted due to his lack of military experience, he added. 1:14 Canadian military members leave for mission in Poland to help Ukrainians Canadian military members leave for mission in Poland to help Ukrainians Former Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj is part of a group of volunteers who volunteered to help the Ukrainian Embassy in Ottawa contact and vet a Canadian who wanted to answer Zelenskyy’s call to arms. Trending Stories
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The story goes on under the ad Wrzesnewskyj said about 1,500 Canadians had applied to join the international legion. However, while interviews with potential candidates began about a week ago after a temporary suspension, Wrzesnewskyj said none had been developed yet. “They just watch to make sure they have the right people,” he said. “It has been stressed again and again that these must be people who have real combat experience and that a proper interview and control process is taking place.”
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The majority of Canadians who have applied have no combat experience and will not be accepted, Wrzesnewskyj added. Volzhanin said he was “extremely” nervous when he first wrote. “I was scared because I never served in the army,” he said. “I did not know what to expect at that time in February. There were so many pictures and stories of people just giving them the gun and sending them to the front. I did not know what to expect. “ Now, about six weeks after his registration, he understands that “no one in the army is interested in sending untrained soldiers to the front,” and he is much calmer and more comfortable. The story goes on under the ad Some Canadians have decided to bypass the formal application process and head to Ukraine on their own to fight. Wrzesnewskyj said there had been previous reports of Canadians being wounded or killed in battle. “None of this, as far as I know, turned out to be right,” he said. “And we hope that this will continue to be the case. But (for) those who will eventually be directed, this is a real possibility “. 2:18 Nanaimo couple accepts Ukrainian refugee family Nanaimo couple accepts Ukrainian refugee family Exactly when the Canadians will begin to develop remains a mystery, but Wrzesnewskyj said volunteers are still needed, even as the conflict shifts from a total invasion of Ukraine to a war for the country’s east and south. The Ukrainian embassy in Ottawa did not respond to a request for comment. The legion has recruited veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, the Balkan Wars and people who fought drug cartels in South America, Volzhanin said. In contrast to these conflicts, those in Ukraine can not be based on air superiority and other advantages. The story goes on under the ad
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Those who join the legion must sign a contract that says they will stay until martial law is lifted. But there were some whose circumstances changed and they were allowed to leave, Volzhanin said. “No one keeps them in the legion despite their will or desire.” But what he is telling people is that Ukraine is at war and is a country with few valuable resources for those who have a sudden change of mind. “Well, if you’re already thinking, ‘Well, maybe I’ll do this for a limited time,’ think about how much resources the country will have for you and whether or not you can contribute at least the same or more,” he said. “And if you know you’re coming for a week or two, then it ‘s just not worth it.” 2:25 The Albertans continue to strengthen support for Ukraine as the war marks a bleak milestone The Albertans continue to strengthen support for Ukraine as the war marks a bleak milestone The conflict made him put things right and Volzhanin said he wondered how it would affect him in the future. The story goes on under the ad On the morning of the invasion, he said he was in a grocery store where he saw some people wearing branded clothes and carrying branded accessories. From that moment on, he said he wondered if he could grab the threads of that old life and return as things were. “I just remember thinking about how they lost their meaning. “How not just out of place, but how pointless these things became in eight hours,” Volzhanin said. “It simply came to our notice then. I look at the news and people’s lives and I think well, but it is not a war. It’s not death. “ What surprised him most, Volzhanin said, was how quickly the attack began. “It makes you realize how thin the line really is between normalcy and war,” he said. “Last night, you could just walk down the street and there are people, there are cafes, bars, everything is open, people are enjoying, and then literally eight hours later, you could be in the war zone. There is something that you thought was stable, something that was built over the years, it could just be destroyed. In a moment.” © 2022 The Canadian Press
