Foreign Volunteers

in Ukraine, 1

 
 
 
 

Vocabulary

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Video

 

 
 
 
 

Transcript

Michael Ferkol says he is a former US Army engineer who was in Rome studying archaeology when he heard Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s appeal for foreign fighters.

Within days, Ferkol was at the train station in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, boarding a train to Kyiv, hoping to volunteer as a medic.

Michael Ferkol, Former US Army engineer: “I’m a little nervous, to be honest, but at the same time it’s not about me — it’s about the people that are suffering there.”

Ukraine has established an international legion for volunteers from abroad and Zelensky has publicly urged foreigners to fight side-by-side with Ukrainians.

Some of the foreign fighters say they are attracted by the cause: to halt what they view as an unprovoked attack in a once-in-a-generation showdown between the forces of democracy and dictatorship, even if it may have been a tough sell for their families back home.

Jax, British Fighter: “They’re not happy, to say the least. Definitely not happy, but they’re proud.”

A man who identified himself only as Jax was among a group of British fighters headed to Kyiv.

They were led by Ben Grant, who had just completed a month-long stint as a security advisor in Iraq.

Grant was unclear whether his men would be deployed independently or as part of a Ukrainian unit.

Ben Grant, Security Advisor: “We’re going to wait to be honest and see what the situation is as we get further in.”

Another man who said he was a former British soldier and Afghanistan veteran who calls himself Kruger warned that even those who have previously seen fighting might struggle in Ukraine’s war zones.

Kruger, Former British Soldier: “If you’re out here as a war tourist, it’s it’s not the place for you. I think the realities of war, if you if you head out to the front is going to be pretty overwhelming.”

Although it is unclear how many foreign fighters had arrived in Ukraine, president Zelensky said last week that more than 16 thousand foreigners had volunteered.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

Questions

Private, Private First Class. Michael Ferkol is a farmer in Kansas, USA. He was working on his farm when he decided to volunteer in Ukraine. True or false?

Corporal, Specialist. Is Ferkol a former US Navy SEAL? Does he plan on fighting enemy soldiers in Ukraine?

Sargent, Staff Sargent. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said only Ukrainians should fight and die for Ukraine. Is this right or wrong?

Sargent First Class. The foreign fighters say they want to be heroes like Rambo, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Van Damme, Nicholas Cage. Is this right or wrong?

Second Lieutenant. Are their’ families very enthusiastic about them volunteering?

First Lieutenant. Is Ben Grant a Royal Marine? Will the foreign volunteers be fighting as a separate unit, together with the Ukrainian Army, with Ukrainian partisans or they are not sure?

Major. The British Afghan War veteran says that fighting in Ukraine will be just like in Hollywood movies. 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?

General. What could or should people and governments do?