Latest news with #InternationalLegion
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
A US veteran who fought in Ukraine says drones are 'horrendous' for soldiers' morale
A US veteran who fought in Ukraine said the amount of drones is a "horrendous detriment to morale." He said soldiers often can't leave their bunkers, and have limited ability to go on operations. He lost friends who had a grenade explode next to them "out of nowhere, under a blue sky," he added. A US veteran who fought in Ukraine said that the scale of drones in the war is terrible for troops' morale, and that soldiers sometimes won't see a drone coming in clear blue skies before it kills them. Carl Larson, an Iraq veteran who was born in Seattle and served in Ukraine's International Legion, said that the huge presence of drones is "a horrendous detriment to morale." "I can't speak for the Russian side, but on the Ukrainian side, it's incredibly corrosive to your ability to conduct combat operations," he said at a drone conference last week. "You can't leave your blindage, your bunker, at least not during the day," he added. Larson said that "anyone who's been under artillery barrage knows how negative that is to your mental well-being and how many soldiers, seemingly strong-minded soldiers, can't handle that sort of stress." He also said he lost "good friends" in Ukraine "that died from having a grenade explode next to them out of nowhere, under a blue sky, you couldn't even hear it. Bang, they're dead." Larson said that some drone types, especially the fiberoptic drones that both Russia and Ukraine are now using, are "damn near undetectable, they come in hot at over a hundred miles an hour." Fiberoptic drones typically can't be jammed, unlike more classic drone types, and Larson said that if soldiers can't take them down with more traditional means, like guns, then "it's horrible." Larson, who served as a combat engineer in Iraq, was speaking at Drone Summit 2025, a gathering of more than 100 defense companies, defense ministers, and military officials in NATO member state Latvia. He's no longer with the International Legion, but is still helping Ukraine, including as the executive director of Defense Tech for Ukraine, a group that works to get drones and other technology to Ukrainian soldiers. He said at the summit: "I believe that Ukrainians are fighting for all of us." Larson's comments mirror those made by Ukrainian soldiers and other Western veterans who have taken part in the fighting. A Ukrainian drone operator told BI earlier this year that there are so many drones in the sky that soldiers often can't tell who they belong to. And the sheer number of drones means soldiers need to find ways to stay safe, including building fake positions and digging trenches to hide in. Drones are so common in Ukraine that they've removed the lifesaving window to rescue injured soldiers, called the "golden hour," another US veteran, who trains troops in Ukraine, previously told BI. They have also fundamentally changed military tactics in Ukraine, because they remove lots of the element of surprise, the veteran, who goes by the call sign Jackie, said. Drones have been used to scan the battlefield and gather intelligence to direct other weaponry, and to launch attacks themselves on soldiers and other targets. They can also be equipped with bombs and grenade launchers, as well as machine guns. Ukraine and Russia are in a desperate race to develop better and more drones than each other, with Ukraine increasingly relying on drones as it suffers shortages of other weapons from its allies. In contrast, it can make most of the drones it uses itself. In his comments, Larson talked about the long-term mental toll of things like drone warfare on those in combat. He said that there are some groups that do "very good work" with demobilized Ukrainian soldiers to combat PTSD and work on mental and physical rehabilitation and employment prospects. "It's really challenging," he said. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
5 days ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
A US veteran who fought in Ukraine says drones are 'horrendous' for soldiers' morale
A US veteran who fought in Ukraine said that the scale of drones in the war is terrible for troops' morale, and that soldiers sometimes won't see a drone coming in clear blue skies before it kills them. Carl Larson, an Iraq veteran who was born in Seattle and served in Ukraine's International Legion, said that the huge presence of drones is "a horrendous detriment to morale." "I can't speak for the Russian side, but on the Ukrainian side, it's incredibly corrosive to your ability to conduct combat operations," he said at a drone conference last week. "You can't leave your blindage, your bunker, at least not during the day," he added. Larson said that "anyone who's been under artillery barrage knows how negative that is to your mental well-being and how many soldiers, seemingly strong-minded soldiers, can't handle that sort of stress." He also said he lost "good friends" in Ukraine "that died from having a grenade explode next to them out of nowhere, under a blue sky, you couldn't even hear it. Bang, they're dead." 'Undetectable' fiberoptic drones Larson said that some drone types, especially the fiberoptic drones that both Russia and Ukraine are now using, are "damn near undetectable, they come in hot at over a hundred miles an hour." Fiberoptic drones typically can't be jammed, unlike more classic drone types, and Larson said that if soldiers can't take them down with more traditional means, like guns, then "it's horrible." Larson, who served as a combat engineer in Iraq, was speaking at Drone Summit 2025, a gathering of more than 100 defense companies, defense ministers, and military officials in NATO member state Latvia. He's no longer with the International Legion, but is still helping Ukraine, including as the executive director of Defense Tech for Ukraine, a group that works to get drones and other technology to Ukrainian soldiers. He said at the summit: "I believe that Ukrainians are fighting for all of us." Larson's comments mirror those made by Ukrainian soldiers and other Western veterans who have taken part in the fighting. A Ukrainian drone operator told BI earlier this year that there are so many drones in the sky that soldiers often can't tell who they belong to. And the sheer number of drones means soldiers need to find ways to stay safe, including building fake positions and digging trenches to hide in. Long-term impact Drones are so common in Ukraine that they've removed the lifesaving window to rescue injured soldiers, called the "golden hour," another US veteran, who trains troops in Ukraine, previously told BI. They have also fundamentally changed military tactics in Ukraine, because they remove lots of the element of surprise, the veteran, who goes by the call sign Jackie, said. Drones have been used to scan the battlefield and gather intelligence to direct other weaponry, and to launch attacks themselves on soldiers and other targets. They can also be equipped with bombs and grenade launchers, as well as machine guns. Ukraine and Russia are in a desperate race to develop better and more drones than each other, with Ukraine increasingly relying on drones as it suffers shortages of other weapons from its allies. In contrast, it can make most of the drones it uses itself. In his comments, Larson talked about the long-term mental toll of things like drone warfare on those in combat. He said that there are some groups that do "very good work" with demobilized Ukrainian soldiers to combat PTSD and work on mental and physical rehabilitation and employment prospects. "It's really challenging," he said.
Boston Globe
6 days ago
- General
- Boston Globe
Trump's diplomacy with Russia has left some US soldiers fighting in Ukraine puzzled
Just weeks into his deployment, that conviction collided with a bitter political reality back home. 'It was embarrassing, coming over here, sacrificing so much — then seeing our top leaders behaving that way,' Abeyta told The Boston Globe in early May, referring to the acrimonious White House meeting among President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on Feb. 28. Advertisement Many American fighters like Abeyta who are embedded in Ukraine front lines told the Globe they have been left angry and disillusioned by Trump's erratic position on Ukraine, as the president alternates at times between threats and diplomacy. More than three years into the war, Americans are continuing to join the Ukrainian army to battle Russia, seeing themselves as protectors of democracy and freedom. But Trump's tough stand on Ukraine has been seen as an ideological betrayal by many who want the US to take a more aggressive approach to defending Ukraine. At the same time, they are hopeful Trump's growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin — combined with Ukraine's latest battlefield victories — could mount more pressure on Putin to agree to a ceasefire. Advertisement Just two weeks ago, after a two-hour call between Trump and Putin on May 19, there had been cautious optimism that a ceasefire deal might be within reach. 'For me and my teammates, it was a breath of fresh air that direct communication was finally occurring between Trump and Putin,' Abeyta said in a phone interview from Ukraine. But this Sunday Ukraine launched a drone attack on Russian air bases on the eve of cease-fire negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Turkey. A swarm of explosive-laden drones hidden inside wooden cabins mounted on cargo trucks were smuggled deep into Russian territory and launched remotely. Ukraine's domestic Security Service, USB, claimed the covert operation, codenamed Spider Web, destroyed about 40 long-range Russian bombers, marking one of the most decisive victories for Ukraine. The attack came a week after Russia launched its largest aerial assault on Ukraine, with a barrage of 355 drones, prompting Trump to threaten Russia with new sanctions. Since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, scores of American fighters have joined Ukraine's armed forces. Early in the war, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said over 20,000 volunteers from 52 countries had enlisted in the International Legion. Today, the exact number of American fighters is unknown. The Ground Forces command under the International Legion, the military unit that recruits foreigners, did not respond to a request on the current number of Americans serving or new registrations since the start of this year. Brigade commanders, press officers, and volunteers on the ground cited security reasons for withholding numbers but said interest remains strong and recruitment of foreigners is ongoing. The Globe conducted face-to face and telephone interviews with nearly a dozen Americans, as well as other fighters from Western countries, based in Kharkiv, Kyiv, Lviv, and Kherson. Among them were men in their early 20s who have arrived without any military experience, as well as US Army veterans who joined Ukraine early in the war. Advertisement Mark J. Lindquist, 43, from Minnesota, has been volunteering in Ukraine since March 2022. He said there was definitely a big spike in volunteers when the war started and then it dipped after August 2022. 'There were thousands who circled through. They come in, serve for six months and go back,' said Lindquist, a US Air Force veteran who served from 2006 to 2012. Putin's invasion in February 2022 marked the largest ground war in Europe since World War II and triggered a geopolitical crisis that shows no sign of resolution. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers have been killed or wounded on both sides. Russia currently occupies a fifth of Ukrainian territory. Ukraine has accepted a full 30-day unconditional cease-fire proposed by the US, but Russia rejected it. Putin wants to retain the territorial gains he has made and wants Kyiv to accept the loss of Crimea. He has also demanded that Ukrainian troops retreat from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson Oblast regions in Ukraine. American volunteers said their mission is simple — stand up to tyranny. 'I am here because the American way is to aid,' said another American soldier in Kharkiv, who asked to be identified by his call sign, Oracle, 23, out of fear for his family's safety. A US Army veteran, who served three years in the 10th Mountain Division, Oracle said he has been in Ukraine since October to 'kick the bully's ass.' Advertisement A former Trump supporter, he said he was angry about the way Trump was handling the Ukraine issue. 'This complete turnaround, 180 degree (turn) of cutting all ties and supplies to Ukraine; it is almost like he is wanting Ukraine to lose,' he said. Irrespective of what the Trump government does, Oracle said, he is not afraid to die fighting. 'I have done everything in my life I wanted to except start a family. I have come to terms with the fact that no matter what I do, in the end I am going to die.' Many Americans who have been in Ukraine since the start of the war said they have no intention of leaving — no matter how long the war drags on. Rebekah Maciorowski, 30, a combat medic from Denver, has been in Ukraine since March 2022. Now serving as the chief medic with Ukraine's 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade in Kherson Oblast, she said her mission remains unchanged, regardless of what unfolds in Washington. 'What I can do right now to help Ukraine is doing the exact same thing that I have been doing, without giving up,' she said. She said the Ukrainian soldiers she treats are also focused on survival and resistance. 'They know nobody is coming to save them. So, they will keep fighting. And so do we.' In Kharkiv, another US veteran, Zachary Jaynes, 31, from South Carolina, said he has thought about going back home a few times but could not. 'You cannot really move on and find peace when missiles are still raining down on you and your friends,' said Jaynes, a former Army Ranger who has served in Afghanistan. Advertisement A 2021 Dartmouth graduate, Jaynes said he was seeking peace at a silent meditation retreat in a Buddhist monastery in Nepal when the war broke out. He faced a choice. 'Stay tucked away in the mountains and away from my past, or go back into the abyss and use my experience and skills from Afghanistan to do a little bit of good,' he said, recalling his thought process. He chose the latter. 'Now, I have found peace in a strange way — by coming here and being exactly where I should be and doing what exactly I should be doing,' he said. The motivation of Americans who willingly embrace the treacherous trenches and horrors of bloodshed vary. Ukrainian officers who command units with foreign fighters said there are 'democracy defenders' who believe in a just cause, but there are also those who want to run away from the harsh realities of life back home. 'There are three types of people here. Those who come for money, for politics, and those crazies looking for adventure. All three types are welcome here,' said Commander Baiev Anton of the 13th Khartiia Brigade. His unit includes soldiers from at least 13 countries — the US, UK, France, Germany, and Italy among them. They make a real difference, he said. 'It is a morale boost. Their presence raises the morale of Ukrainian soldiers. It is a message that they are not alone in this fight,' he said. Meanwhile, on the northern front lines in Kharkiv that border Russia, Trump's shifting policies on Ukraine have reverberated. 'As soon as that White House meeting occurred, we started getting artillery barrages. We kept getting hit by drones a lot more,' said Abeyta. Advertisement 'Trump's direct involvement translates to the number and intensity of attacks our units receive,' he added. This reporting was supported by the International Women's Media Foundation's Women on the Ground: Reporting from Ukraine's Unseen Frontlines Initiative in partnership with the Howard G. Buffett Foundation.
Daily Telegraph
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Telegraph
Richard Marles won't ‘speculate' on Oscar Jenkins swap
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Richard Marles has refused to speculate on the prospects of a prisoner swap for Oscar Jenkins after a Russian court sentenced the Melbourne man to 13 years in a penal colony. Russian authorities in Ukraine's occupied Luhansk region declared Mr Jenkins a mercenary, complicating any prisoner swap talks as mercenaries are not protected by conventions on the treatment of prisoners of war. Condemning the court decision as a 'sham trial', the Deputy Prime Minister on Monday said Mr Jenkins 'should be treated as a prisoner of war'. The Albanese government is pushing for Oscar Jenkins to be released from Russian captivity. Picture: NewsWire Handout Mr Jenkins was fighting with the Ukrainian military when Russian forces captured him. Picture: Screengrab 'This was a sham trial which handed down this sentence,' Mr Marles, who is also defence minister, told Sky News. 'Oscar Jenkins should be treated as a prisoner of war and all the rights that go with that under international humanitarian law should be provided by Russia to Oscar Jenkins. 'That's what we expect of the Russian government, and we are very concerned for Oscar Jenkins.' Mr Jenkins was fighting with Ukraine's International Legion — a formal part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine — when he was captured late last year near Makiivka, a tiny village on the Zherebets River in Luhansk. Mr Marles was asked whether he thought Mr Jenkins was 'brave' for joining Ukraine's fight against invading Russian forces. But he reiterated the government did not encourage people to go to Ukraine due to its designation as a war zone – noting they had made their position 'clear'. 'Oscar Jenkins, though, is an Australian citizen, and we will continue to advocate on his behalf,' Mr Marles said. 'And as I said, we regard him as a prisoner of war in these circumstances, and we expect all the rights that are afforded to prisoners of water be applied by Russia to him.' Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has called on Russia to treat Mr Jenkins as a prisoner of war. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman Later, Ukraine's envoy in Canberra said securing Mr Jenkins' release was a 'top priority' for the Ukrainian government. Vasyl Myroshnychenko said it was 'good' the Australian fighter had been sentenced because 'now he could be swapped'. But the Ukrainian ambassador added 'how the Russians interpret him' could complicate matters. 'And of course, we're working on that, making sure that we can get him released as soon as possible,' Mr Myroshnychenko told Sky News. 'We don't know how long it's going to take but I'm in touch with (the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) all the time.' Ukraine and Russia regularly swap prisoners through exchanges largely organised by the Red Cross. Officials from both countries agreed to swap some 1000 prisoners during peace talks last week. Mr Myroshnychenko said he did not know if Mr Jenkins would be included in that exchange. Anthony Albanese also raised Mr Jenkins and 'other cases' when he met Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of Pope Leo XIV's inauguration on Sunday. The Prime Minister thanks the Ukrainian President for his help on the matter. Originally published as Richard Marles won't 'speculate' on possible prison swap for Oscar Jenkins after 'sham' trial, jailing
News.com.au
19-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Richard Marles won't ‘speculate' on possible prison swap for Oscar Jenkins after ‘sham' trial, jailing
Richard Marles has refused to speculate on the prospects of a prisoner swap for Oscar Jenkins after a Russian court sentenced the Melbourne man to 13 years in a penal colony. Russian authorities in Ukraine's occupied Luhansk region declared Mr Jenkins a mercenary, complicating any prisoner swap talks as mercenaries are not protected by conventions on the treatment of prisoners of war. Condemning the court decision as a 'sham trial', the Deputy Prime Minister on Monday said Mr Jenkins 'should be treated as a prisoner of war'. 'This was a sham trial which handed down this sentence,' Mr Marles, who is also defence minister, told Sky News. 'Oscar Jenkins should be treated as a prisoner of war and all the rights that go with that under international humanitarian law should be provided by Russia to Oscar Jenkins. 'That's what we expect of the Russian government, and we are very concerned for Oscar Jenkins.' Mr Jenkins was fighting with Ukraine's International Legion — a formal part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine — when he was captured late last year near Makiivka, a tiny village on the Zherebets River in Luhansk. Mr Marles was asked whether he thought Mr Jenkins was 'brave' for joining Ukraine's fight against invading Russian forces. But he reiterated the government did not encourage people to go to Ukraine due to its designation as a war zone – noting they had made their position 'clear'. 'Oscar Jenkins, though, is an Australian citizen, and we will continue to advocate on his behalf,' Mr Marles said. 'And as I said, we regard him as a prisoner of war in these circumstances, and we expect all the rights that are afforded to prisoners of water be applied by Russia to him.' Later, Ukraine's envoy in Canberra said securing Mr Jenkins' release was a 'top priority' for the Ukrainian government. Vasyl Myroshnychenko said it was 'good' the Australian fighter had been sentenced because 'now he could be swapped'. But the Ukrainian ambassador added 'how the Russians interpret him' could complicate matters. 'And of course, we're working on that, making sure that we can get him released as soon as possible,' Mr Myroshnychenko told Sky News. 'We don't know how long it's going to take but I'm in touch with (the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) all the time.' Ukraine and Russia regularly swap prisoners through exchanges largely organised by the Red Cross. Officials from both countries agreed to swap some 1000 prisoners during peace talks last week. Mr Myroshnychenko said he did not know if Mr Jenkins would be included in that exchange. Ð�вÑ�траліÑ� підтримуÑ' Уараїну â€' зараз Ñ– завжди. Слава Уараїні! __ Australia stands with Ukraine, now and always. Slava Ukraini! @ZelenskyyUa 🇦🇰🇰🇦 — Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) May 18, 2025 Anthony Albanese also raised Mr Jenkins and 'other cases' when he met Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of Pope Leo XIV's inauguration on Sunday. The Prime Minister thanks the Ukrainian President for his help on the matter.
