Ukraine war: The Brits who travelled to fight Russia

As the youngest known Briton to travel to Ukraine to join the war, it might not come as a surprise that what he found there shocked him.

But even for a 30-year-old former Royal Naval engineer like Curtis, the Foreign Legion was not what he expected.

In this Channel 4 News investigation, we hear the previously untold accounts of chaos in Ukraine's Foreign Legion - with claims of poor organisation, a lack of training and kit and unverified claims that more British volunteers have been killed, than reported by officials.

The Foreign Office told Channel 4 News they don't know exactly how many British citizens have travelled to Ukraine or how many have lost their lives.

Warning: This report contains some strong language.

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[JeepCherokeeful]

Who would have thought being a soldier is dangerous?

[gollum]

It feels like most of the volunteer were expecting to be treated as saviours and hoped to return with a beautiful ukrainian wife after they rescue her from russian soldiers

[haniffhaniff]

Well Russians are not sandal wearing afghans

[belleray]

Too much television, too little brains.

[gogalevus]

Expectations vs. reality. The so called best sniper in the world bailed out, because he was probably expecting something akin Iraq or Afghanistan. Fighting against taxi drivers or pistachio sellers with slippers and pajamas, holding rusty AK. Ukraine is scary, there you go against heaviest artillery in the world, phosphor bombs.. Sniper guy was expecting war tourism, shooting Russians from 1 km away, bringing pictures and videos back home to Canada.

[Serbian]

Exactly At my job we have this US war veteran who returned last month he spend 3 weeks in Ukraine but said he wanted to leave after 3 days he said “ I did it 4 tours of Iraq and Afghanistan and felt i had no combat experience because I have never experienced such artillery barrages and cruise missiles, rocket fire but as well a real professional army on other side, we also had no air support it felt absolutely hopeless, the Russian bombing never stops 24/7”

[dangerman]

This is actually a proper war with tanks, artillery, shovels and drones😂😂😂

[dominicjohnson]

the young lad expected to do a 12 week tour ? So he basically wanted a short break from home and return a hero with stories to tell his grandkids

[DIOS-M]

They were probably waiting for the drunken Russians to attack, standing up and shouting "hurrah", waving the PPSH. That's what they usually show in the movies.

[stevesogood]

This lad's well meaning, but naive, what did he expect, as untrained, he would be a liability to himself, and those around him!

[mathew]

Royal navy engineer with absolutley no combat experience, never dug a trench in his life, no understanding of basic infantry drills - basically one level above an Asda security guard - complete dreamer!

[funnyvid]

It's crazy what the BBC propaganda has done to these people. Absolutely crazy.

[AZ-hgbj]

Going there as a volunteer without full proper training is like giving a present in form of liability.
That's not bravery, that is ignorance and stupidity.

[McYeroc]

Imagine going to fight someone else’s war when you don’t even understand the politics behind it.

[sergsilvestr]

Just one remark: The fighting vehicle, crushing blue sedan, is Ukrainian and it happened in 2014-2015 in Donetsk region.

[petit]

I don't understand something, if a Muslim goes to help in Palestine against the occupation, they consider him a terrorist, but if someone goes to help Ukraine, he is a hero

[mils]

The Tommies made their experiences in the asymmetrical wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. There they were on the stronger side with air support, evacuation if necessary and so on. In Ukraine they suddenly played the part of the Taliban and the Iraqi insurgents. For people for whom war meant that they shoot and only others die this must have been a most unpleasant experience.

[ciilqabeduubi]

It reminded me of the Wali story…Wali fired two shots to scare Russians in return he got two Russian tank shells, the first shot he received he was running 100km/h and by the second shot he reached Canada. That’s what the best sniper can do. Keep running Wali… from the longest confirmed kill to longest confirmed sprint

[daraquinn]

Senseless. Imagine fighting for a country that’s not yours.

[Agent-cupv]

Going into a war zone with absolutely no military experience is stupid and suicidal. Best one can do is to help with Humanitary support, transport food, weapons/ammo or injured soldiers.