RIGHT SPEAK: Dismayed by Moscow’s war, RU Volunteers are Joining UKR Ranks to Fight Putin’s Troops; RU Attacks on Tavria Front: 80 Assaults a Day for 3Days in a Row; UKR Kills 1090 RUs, Destroys 14 Tanks 1Day; UKR Dominates Night-Time Warfare, LIVE UPDATES and MORE

Dismayed by Moscow’s war, Russian volunteers are joining Ukrainian ranks to fight Putin’s troops

When Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ignited into war, back in Moscow, a young Russian who now goes by the name of Karabas was plunged into despair. Shocked by images of what was happening to Ukrainians in Russian-occupied areas, he decided to act — against Russia, his home and country.

Karabas said he knew that what he was doing was drastic. He packed his bags and decided to find a way to get to Ukraine to join the ranks of Kyiv’s troops fighting Russian forces.

It took him almost a year to make it happen.

Today, he is part of the Siberian Battalion, a unit made up of Russians who have joined Ukrainian military ranks to fight against their homeland, hoping someday to help oust Russian President Vladimir Putin. Its members hail mostly from ethnic minorities from Russia’s far east.

“I was disillusioned with my own people,” recounted Karabas, who like other fighters in the battalion spoke to The Associated Press on condition that only his military call sign be used.

“That is why I wanted to come here ... and fight for a free Ukraine,” he added.

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, Karabas said he was dismayed by how most Russians he knew either blindly supported Putin or were indifferent to the war.

Sometimes, Karabas said his grief felt so overwhelming, he would break down and cry.

Unlike other volunteer units in Ukraine that have Russian nationals — such as the Freedom of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps — the Siberian Battalion is officially part of the regular Ukrainian army.

Its fighters undergo lengthy security checks, which sometimes take up to a year, before they are trained and deployed to the front lines in eastern Ukraine, which has seen some of the most ferocious fighting of the war and where Ukrainian and Russian forces are locked in a grinding battle for control. --->READ MORE HERE

Russian attacks on Tavria front: 80 assaults a day for three days in a row

Russian troops are conducting intense assault operations on the Tavriia front. For three consecutive days, Russia has been carrying out 80 attacks a day, mainly in Donetsk Oblast, with support from armoured vehicles.

Source: Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, commander of the Tavriia Operational Strategic Group (OSG), on Telegram

Quote: "The occupiers are not reducing the number of combat clashes in the operating zone of the Tavriia OSG. For three days in a row, there have been about 80 assault operations every day. The vast majority are in Donetsk Oblast. The assault groups mostly have up to 20 people. They operate with support from armoured vehicles. Yesterday, there was another increase in the number of airstrikes, and the enemy is using aerial bombs."

Details: According to the commander, Russian invaders carried out 15 airstrikes, 76 combat clashes and 631 artillery attacks in the operating zone of the Tavria operational-strategic group over the past day. "Our soldiers are steadfastly holding the defence," Tarnavskyi said.

He added that over the past day alone, the total losses suffered by the Russians amounted to 414 people.

23 units of military equipment were also destroyed – one tank, 10 armoured personnel carriers, two artillery systems, 3 ATGMs, one UAV, four vehicles, two units of special equipment and two ammunition depots. Another 20 pieces of Russian equipment were damaged. --->READ MORE HERE