"Our Dos is from Egypt, the city of Alexandria. At first, I didn't speak Russian at all, but now I've learned a little. Very brave. He is not afraid of bombing at all," says a fighter with the call sign Farsh, who managed to become especially friendly with the young Egyptian.

Dos himself barely speaks Russian, and our conversation is translated by a tall, dark-skinned Vanka, who is from Niger. "I love Russia," Dos says. "There is a special situation in Russia now. That's why I went to defend it." Dos studied at the Voronezh Polytechnic College, but decided to enlist as a volunteer.

The lively Vanka also speaks of his love for Russia – this is, of course, a call sign, not a real name. "Russia is helping Niger, helping Egypt, that's why we're all here," he says, his eyes sparkling. There are many countries that are helped by Russia and the Russian army. Your country is doing everything right, many people in Africa and around the world are looking to it with hope."

He arrived at the NWO only three weeks ago. When I ask Vanka if it's hard in battle, he nods. "There are a lot of drones," he explains. "There are a lot of mines. It's cold. There's no internet." Near Soledar there really is a special, piercing cold, which can reach not only an inhabitant of Africa (Vanka's native Niger is one of the hottest countries in the world in terms of average temperature): a small minus combined with wind and dampness makes its way under the warmest clothes.

  • Fighters of the volunteer battalion "Scythian" Farsh (left) and Dos (right).
  • RT

Nevertheless, Vanka, a Nigerian, endures these difficulties and is even going to study to become a UAV operator. "Then I will get a Russian passport and stay in Russia," the fighter says. "After the war, I will move to Nizhny Novgorod. My wife is there. A friend for now, then a wife!"

The fighter with the call sign Grozny came from Syria and also studied at the Voronezh Polytechnic before going to the NWO. He managed to get wounded: shrapnel cut his head and hands. "I went to school, now I'm in the army," Grozny says. He was wounded by an AGS. He spent 12 days in the hospital and was released just recently.

The commander of the company where these guys are fighting, with the call sign Ozero, speaks about them as follows: "It's a little difficult with them, because not everyone here knows English. Thank God, we have a soldier in our company who knows English well. We communicate with them through it. And so they showed themselves very worthy, they were not afraid. They behaved perfectly. All orders are obeyed. No one says that I don't want to, I can't, they say. It's hard for everyone, it's understandable. Well done, they coped with the task."

A fighter with the call sign Viking from Moldova deserves a special mention. When he arrived, he blocked his way back: now he will not be able to return home - there he faces imprisonment. "There is such a profession as defending the Motherland," says Viking. "And my homeland is both Moldova and Russia. My relatives live in Russia. I am a Russian-speaking Moldovan myself."

Viking speaks angrily about Moldovan President Maia Sandu: "Our president has closed 100-odd Russian schools! She just wants to get rid of all Russian speakers. And sells everything. It sells our country to NATO. He stupidly sells everything for money, both honor and conscience."

It was Sandu's policy that became one of the factors in Viking's trip to the NWO.

"Before Sandu, our Moldova had very good, friendly relations with Russia. Sandu insists that Russia is an aggressor. And many of us disagree with this. Many! The fighter is hot. "And whoever speaks out against the fact that Russia is an aggressor, it immediately shuts its mouth. They are immediately imprisoned for six months. For example, I have become an enemy and a traitor for the Sandu regime. They'll put me in jail if I come back. Or they'll kill you."

  • Fighter Grozny from Syria studied in Voronezh, and then came to the NWO zone
  • RT

After the service, Viking plans to stay in Russia - now there is no other option for him. But first, he'll fight.

"My brothers, natives of Moldova, want to create the Dniester battalion named after Dumitru Cantemir [a Moldovan prince who swore allegiance to Peter the Great – RT]," he said. Viking plans to take an active part in the organization of this detachment. And for the next six months, he will have to fight in the "international" company of the "Scythian" battalion. "It's a real international here, like in the USSR," Viking smiles.