Italian mercenaries disgruntled in Ukraine – Corriere della Sera

Kiev’s foreign fighters “lack everything” they need for combat, a soldier told the outlet

Foreign nationals fighting for Kiev in the Ukraine conflict are complaining about a shortage of supplies and Russian dominance on the battlefield, according to a report by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on Wednesday.

The outlet spoke to an Italian citizen serving in Kiev’s International Legion, who was only identified by his nomme de guerre, ‘Polo’.

“We lack everything here, we do not even have hand grenades,” he said. “The Russians show that they fight well. They used to have almost no drones, today they dominate the skies.”

According to the newspaper, there are some 30 Italians in the ranks of the Ukrainian mercenary force, though they prefer to call themselves freedom fighters.

Polo described himself as a supporter of the “extra-parliamentary left,” and said he went to the front line to oppose Russian “fascism.” Some of the other Italian fighters are neo-Nazis and members of the fascist organization CasaPound, Corriere della Sera reported.

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The Italians keep a low profile because they are in breach of their nation’s law prohibiting citizens from joining foreign militaries, the article said.

The interview was part of an article about James Scott Rhys, a 22-year-old former British signalman, who was captured in Russia’s Kursk Region, where he had taken part in Ukraine’s cross-border incursion. Several videos of his interviews in captivity have been published on Russian Telegram channels in recent days.

Moscow has accused Western governments backing Kiev of turning a blind eye to its recruitment of people with military experience in their countries. The campaign is reportedly being conducted through Ukrainian diplomatic missions and private intermediaries.

Russian officials claim to have detailed lists of such recruits and say the mercenaries will face legal consequences for their actions, should they be lucky enough to leave Ukraine alive.