Shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy appealed to all foreigners who might consider fighting for the Ukrainian army. Tens of thousands heeded the call and went to Ukraine, but far from all of them have stayed.
Kacper Rekawek is a researcher at the Centre for Research on Extremism at the University of Oslo and believes that some of those who travelled to fight were not ready for what awaited on the battlefield.
"Many had expected something completely different. Some had experience of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, but fighting the Russian military and being shot at with artillery is something else entirely. There were many who could not do it.
Tried to shoot flashes
But it's not just volunteer soldiers who have changed their minds and gone home – the Ukrainian military has also had to weed out some people who didn't fit in.
"There are horror examples of people who thought that everything was just a role-playing game. Among other things, a guy who, through a vodoo spell, tried to shoot lightning at the Russian soldiers, says Rekawek.
Kacper Rekawek believes that the reason why not only the most suitable have had to fight is that the application process, initially, was poorly organized.
– The sorting has improved, now you can, for example, apply via a website. At the beginning of the war, most of them went down to the Ukrainian border and tried to convince the Ukrainian commanders to fight.
PR genius
Kacper Rekawek does not believe that the foreign soldiers will make much difference militarily, but they can create good PR for Ukraine.
"It can be positive to have an experienced foreign soldier who can contribute knowledge in individual battles, but it will not have any impact on a larger level. On the other hand, it is a PR genius in that it creates publicity throughout the world.
What drives Swedes to risk their lives in Ukraine? See more about the foreign volunteer soldiers in Utrikesbyrån: The Swedes at the Front on SVT Play.