INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
I thought I would either die as an occupier and murderer or die with a good conscience
with the Ukrainian army in the months after the invasion
unit is active on social media and its accounts together have more than 94,000 subscribers
In a June video, the group claimed it had supporters across Russia who were helping spread information on how to become a member.Another
the risk because I want to fight against Putin
Kyiv that they were former Russian soldiers, but refused to give any information about their Russian units or where they had served.The
legion, which admits it recruits in PoW camps in Ukraine, has posted videos of Russian prisoners giving their names, denouncing the Russian
regime and pledging allegiance to the legion
It is unclear if these men were under duress at the time and one video shows a soldier with what looks like cuts to his face
Screenshot / Interview with the Freedom of Russia LegionThe most high-profile member of the group is Igor Volubuev, a former executive at
state-owned Russian bank Gazprombank
Born in northeastern Ukraine, Volubuev lived most of his life in Moscow, but fled to Ukraine after the invasion and announced in June he was
addition to its size, there is also little information about where the legion has been involved in combat
The legion claimed its soldiers arrived in eastern Ukraine in May, with footage on its Telegram channel apparently showing battles near the
described how Ukraine did not have the capacity to process and deploy foreign fighters who flocked to the country in the weeks after the
of Russia LegionPonomarenko said the fate of foreign fighters in Ukraine depended a lot on the military unit with which they ended up
up to 20 years.Apart from the risks if they are caught by Russian forces, fighting for Ukraine obliges those enrolled in the legion to
realize there are guys like me on the other side
