this soldier from Toulouse fights in Ukraine

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Tom (first name changed) left Toulouse for three months to join theUkraine. Hired as marksman (short-range shooter) by the Ukrainian army within the 80th air assault brigade, the young thirty-year-old wanted to share his testimony with Toulouse Newsto “describe the reality of war” and avoid the “total invisibilization” of this deadly conflict which has lasted for more than 1000 days.

Actu : A few months ago, you made a strong choice: to resign from a rather comfortable position in Toulouse to join the Ukrainian army. What made you make such a decision?

Tom : When I was a soldier in France, I met a lot of people from Eastern Europe, including many Ukrainians. They showed me what is happening here and it touches me. Recently I was hired in a private security company for a large group, so I left a boring job to do something meaningful.

How was your arrival?

T : At the beginning, I got involved with the International Legion. I wasn't convinced, so I went back to see the recruiter in Lviv, who suggested I join the brigade in which I am now. They were looking for a shooter with my profile: I am a “marksman”, sniper. The equivalent of a sniper at close range.

I first went to a training camp near Romania, then to another near Kyiv. For a month, I have been in a real situation in Sumy, very close to the Russian province of Kursk.

Is it dangerous?

T : Very. The missions are almost daily, reconnaissance, sabotage, protection of those on the front line. As a soldier, I had already gone to Nigeria and the Ivory Coast but that had nothing to do with it because here, you never know what could happen. The country is constantly bombed by Russia, which targets civilians.

A few days ago, there was yet another totally gratuitous strike on an apartment building; twelve dead, including three children! Every day, they strike the population to undermine their morale by any means possible. Sometimes you feel safer during the mission than when you are off duty.

The horror…

T : There are some things you will never get used to. Killing people, seeing others die, in my role it's inevitable. But dealing daily with horrific war wounds, limbs torn off, civilians massacred, is something else. The Russians respect nothing, they even use chemical weapons like white phosphorus, which can burn for several days and eat you to the bone. This war is very dirty.

What is Russia's strategy?

T : In the air, a drone hovers constantly above our heads and missile attacks are unpredictable and formidable. On the ground, Russian technique is a surplus: a permanent human tide. Here, we call it the “meat grinder”, which can be translated as meat grinder. Their men are cannon fodder. They have no experience: it is an army of conscripts, not volunteers. Some only have two weeks of training. But their strength is their numbers!

The election of Trump has reenergized the Russians – we clearly feel it, they are throwing even more forces into the battle despite record losses -. And the Ukrainians are forced to retreat when they no longer have ammunition.

What is daily life like?

T : We are divided into civilian apartments; we move often to avoid targeted strikes. The water is not drinkable, we depend on the delivery of bottles. There is no shortage of food but you have to be careful: recently, soldiers died after eating poisoned food, “offered” by civilians. The Russians are trying to reach us by any means.

The electricity goes out almost every day, at least eight to nine hours. Sometimes it's planned, sometimes it's not. In recent weeks, Russia has intensified strikes on energy sites. We fear the approaching winter…

How long do you plan to stay?

T : I am a volunteer under contract, hired for six months. If I leave the country before, it would be desertion, I could go to prison. With my girlfriend, who remained in Toulouse, we set ourselves a maximum of one year. She plans to join me to take photographs. I'm afraid something will happen to her, but I know that acting for Ukraine is as important to her as it is to me.

A final message to convey?

T : The war continues and it is far from over: the Ukrainians will never accept a ceasefire as long as some of their territories are violated.
Donations are decreasing. In my opinion, the priority is to give to organizations that help civilians and those that participate in care. The message is that we must not forget what is happening here. Don't get used to it.

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