// The Invisible Battalion - Ghosts of Kyiv //

Young Ukrainian soldiers; many were veterans since 2014, and some were even Special Forces. They showed me photos of dead Russians they recently killed outside Kyiv and Donbas region. The photos were very personal to them. In a way, the pictures were like trophies to them. I was told the soldiers were very happy to see and meet me, mostly because I’m also ex-military and they could relate to me. When I stepped inside the compound/barracks they were living in, it immediately brought me back to my Army days. It was such a strange, but welcoming, experience. We shared a similar mentality; a familiar brotherhood that made me feel welcome. They liked that I wasn’t some random journalist from the news. They showed me a different kind of respect and openness, which was a raw feeling. Most of the soldiers said they prefer British made NLAWs over U.S. made Javelins because they are easier to use, but they agreed that Javelins are better for long distances.

Many of these soldiers are young, and they decided to join the Ukrainian Army in 2014 to protect their country. They felt a calling inside and a duty to serve. A lot of the guys are from smaller villages outside of Kyiv. Some came from Luhansk in Donbas and had family members who worked as coal miners or factory laborers. They moved to Kyiv when things started to change there. Most of these soldiers had ordinary lives before the war. They worked normal jobs, played video games, and lived a lifestyle similar to people from western countries.