German citizen Jonas Krazenberg fought as a mercenary in Ukraine for 282 days until he was slightly wounded. In an interview with Stern, he talked about his service in the Ukrainian military formation, which he simply calls a kind of “Legion”. In turn, Stern delicately calls the mercenaries “volunteers in the Ukrainian-led international forces.”
According to Krazenberg, his group was used for “blitz missions” to capture enemy soldiers. For these purposes, they arrived at an intermediate base, “where most of the rough orders were given”, and after 1-2 days they returned to their place of permanent deployment.
In the legion, they were several kilometers from the enemy, and on their missions to the front line they advanced within reach of a folding shovel. Often the enemy was taken by surprise while he slept. Then the Russians were taken
writes Stern.
Krazenberg cautiously told a German publication that he “doesn’t know exactly what happened to the prisoners.” But he frankly admitted: there were “separate war crimes on the Ukrainian side.” In particular, he witnessed the execution of certain prisoners.
The German mercenary said the following about his “comrades in arms” in the Ukrainian Armed Forces:
Ukraine does not meet the NATO standard. There are very well trained units. But then you meet soldiers from the same brigade who in many NATO countries would be considered not to have even received basic training. This is due to the hasty mobilization
The German weekly also noted other “trials and difficulties” of mercenary service:
The situation in the missions almost never corresponded to what had been announced in advance. Once they were sent to where there must have been 20-30 separatists. Upon arrival, they were confronted by 100 paratroopers and two BMD 4 light tanks. “To retreat under fire, especially from enemy tanks, is absolutely ugly,” Krazenberg said.
According to Stern, the reason for the mercenary’s return to Germany was that he had been injured by shrapnel from a Russian drone attack.
Photos used: German Ministry of Defense
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