Foreign Volunteers

in Ukraine, 2

 
 
 
 

Vocabulary

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Video

 

 
 
 
 

Transcript

Though President Biden has vowed US troops will not get involved in this conflict. Ukraine’s government has actively recruited foreigners to join the fight; over twenty-thousand (20,000) have reportedly expressed interest.

And many Americans are showing up daily, giving up everything at home in order to take on the Russians.

We went to a secret location in western Ukraine to meet some of these men, to understand why they’re here.

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They have already built bunkers with tunnels snaking beneath the earth. And they say they are ready to fight.

Journalist: “Vladimir Putin is an incredibly tough foe, ruthless, killed a lot of people.

Are you willing to risk your life for this country?”

Lane Perkins, US Navy Veteran: “I definitely think that fighting the war here is worth it because it keeps the war away from the home front.”

Lane Perkins, a navy veteran, has a wife and a two-year-old son at home in San Diego. When he heard President Biden warn of an invasion, he knew.

So at twenty-six years old, he got on a plane and then to the Georgian Legion, headquartered here in Ukraine.

Lane Perkins, US Navy Veteran: “I felt personally that this was the by far the best option for military service to Ukraine.”

The Legion from the former Soviet Republic of Georgia is made up of volunteers from around the world, most of the people ex-military.

Their job to train get civilians and refugees across the border.

Journalist: “Are you going to be in the fight?”
Harrison Jozefowicz, U.S. Army Veteran: “Uh me personally, yeah: if it’s needed I’ll be in the fight.”

Harrison Josefowicz is twenty-five and was a Chicago police officer.

Journalist: “You just quit your job and got on a plane?”
Harrison Jozefowicz, U.S. Army Veteran: “Pretty much.”
Journalist: “Why?”
Harrison Jozefowicz, U.S. Army Veteran: “It’s the right thing to do.”

Harrison spent five years in the US army and did a tour in Afghanistan.

Harrison Jozefowicz, U.S. Army Veteran: “This already has more refugees than Afghanistan. And we just we can’t sit idly and just watch it happen.”

The Georgian Legion runs daily training: everything from first aid to shooting and moving techniques.

Harrison Jozefowicz, U.S. Army Veteran: I can say that Putin doesn’t know what’s coming.”
Journalist: “A tougher fight?”
Harrison Jozefowicz, U.S. Army Veteran: “A very much tougher fight. We’re going to see an exponential increase in numbers very, very shortly here.

They’re going to be the hardcore, battle-trained Americans, Brits and everybody else in between.”

British citizen Christopher Garrett has spent his life in war zones around the world. He is now bringing life-saving equipment to Ukraine and vetting others who want to help.

Christopher Garret, British Volunteer: “People need to understand that if they’re coming to Ukraine to fight or to provide medical support or anything, they they need to be coming for the good of Ukraine.”

Overseeing this operation, a Georgian.

Mamuka Mamulashvili, Georgian Legion Commander: “I’ve been at war with Russia for last thirty years. And I have never seen such a brutality.”
Mamuka says at the age of fourteen, he was captured and held in Russian captivity.”

Journalist: “What do you think is the end?”
Mamuka Mamulashvili, Georgian Legion Commander: “I don’t know who will stay alive out of this war, but I’m sure that we’ll win it.”

He says the men volunteering to fight for Ukraine are the faces of democracy.

Mamuka Mamulashvili, Georgian Legion Commander: “Being quiet and hiding and closing eyes on what is going on will not avoid World War III.”

And those Russian soldiers on the other side, many young and inexperienced . . .

Emmanuel, Albanian Volunteer: “They are just standing there like young soldiers to get like slaughtered, I will say.”

Emmanuel is Albanian. He’s been living in Ukraine for a few years. It’s now his home and he says he will protect it at all cost.

Emmanuel, Albanian Volunteer: “If they want my gun, they can come and take it. I have a lot of brothers here. If they’re coming here, they will get what they deserve.”

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Questions

Private, Private First Class. President Biden has deployed US army soldiers Ukraine. True or false?

Corporal, Specialist. Have only Americans volunteered to fight in Ukraine? Have only a few mercenaries showed up?

Sargent, Staff Sargent. In the video, the foreign volunteers are training and living in forests and mountains. Is this right or wrong?

Sargent First Class. Are the men very gung ho, eager and enthusiastic to fight, or are they calm and serious?

Second Lieutenant. Are the foreign volunteers motivated by money or idealism?

First Lieutenant. Was the Georgian Legion formed in Georgia, United States? Is the leader and founder an American?

Major. The volunteers are mostly action movie fans, with no military experience. Is this correct or incorrect?
 
 
 
Lieutenant Colonel. Do you know anyone who has fought in a war or taken part in a battle? What did they say?

Colonel. What are the different strategies for the Ukrainians?

Brigadier General. Why is there a war in Ukraine?

Major General. What might happen in the future?

Lieutenant General. What do people think of war and fighting? Do all males fantasize of being action heroes?

Full General. What could or should people and governments do?