Testimony

Rasmus on his way to Ukraine: "I'm sure of what I'm doing, but I'm also very scared"

Audio 01:15

Ukrainian soldiers at the central station in Kiev, February 25, 2022 (illustration image).

REUTERS - UMIT BEKTAS

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the creation of "international brigades", inviting all Europeans who so wish to come and fight the advance of Russian troops.

In Poland, volunteers cross the border.

RFI met one of them, who came from Sweden.

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With our special correspondent in Przemysl,

Nicolas Feldmann

It is not

a priori

his war.

Rasmus however traveled more than 1,300 km to reach the border.

At 25, three of whom spent in the Swedish army, he left behind his studies in electronics to fight in the

Ukrainian "international brigades"

.

Ukraine is a sovereign state that does not want to be at war and to see Russia be the aggressor, it is horrible,

testifies the young man. 

This war is senseless and I think they need help.

 »

► To follow live: War in Ukraine: the fire at the Zaporizhia power plant is "extinguished"

Rasmus seems a bit lost though.

If he has studied a few maps of Ukraine, filled his big bag with a survival kit, some bandages, he does not yet have a contact on the spot.

"

I hope I will succeed in reaching Swedes who are leaving, I have heard of people who are going to Ukraine, for the moment I have not managed to contact anyone 

," he explains. 

determination and fear

In his green eyes, one can read a mixture of determination and apprehension.

I'm sure of what I'm doing, but I'm also very scared.

I'm a little lost in my thoughts right now, 

he says.

 It's complicated to make this choice, but I'm sure of myself. 

»

Today, Rasmus will board a train heading for western Ukraine.

He will send a last message to his parents before cutting off the internet.

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