In the Ukrainian folk tale, the demonic ways of Baba Yaga – a child-eating and broom-flying witch – are defeated by the spirit of generosity and kindness. It’s therefore a somewhat ironic nom de guerre for an Australian fighting for Ukrainian forces, including in Kursk, who says he is “doing his bit for humanity.”
But Baba Yaga is not a typical guy. For a start, he’s 57-years-old, or only three years younger than the cut-off date for military eligibility in Ukraine.
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“Some say I’m old, but it’s just a number. If you keep your body, heart and mind fit, you can achieve anything,” Baba Yaga tells Kyiv Post while on a break between missions involving the Kursk region of Russia.
Born in Papua New Guinea and having knocked around much of Australia, the self-described “jack of all trades” is also a former Australian Army and French Foreign Legion soldier. He has served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s International Legion since May 2023, including in Ukraine’s Donbas region and now in the northern sector of warfare.
Baba Yaga is quick to point out that neither he nor his fellow foreign fighters should be considered mercenaries.
“We basically have to spend our own money to fight and live here – for gear, food, and vehicles,” Baba Yaga says. “The soldiers here are not mercs. We’re genuine volunteer soldiers that have come here for different personal reasons. Trust me, it’s not for the money or glory.”
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The International Legion pays its member soldiers the same amount – about $4800 monthly – as received by Ukrainian soldiers who are in combat.
He’s proud that his is the only Legion unit “to go into Russia and take the fight to them.” (Legion units are often deployed and embedded with other fighting formations.)
“I’m glad the Ukrainians advanced into Kursk,” Baba Yaga says. “It shows Russia that Ukraine can also go forward. I think the Russians were surprised about it and didn’t really expect it.”
Baba Yaga at checkpoint on Ukraine/Russia border
In the last two months, Ukrainian forces have come to control a proportion of Kursk oblast of the Russian Federation. Ukrainian President Zelensky has stated that some 92 settlements and 1,250 sq. km (482 sq. miles) are under the military administration of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is speculated that the move is designed to both give Ukraine more leverage in potential ceasefire negotiations and to draw Russian forces away from other sectors of the 1,400-km-long (870 miles) front.
For Baba Yaga, the Kursk offensive is part of the new form of warfare the long-term soldier has witnessed over his military career and over his time with the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).
“The Ukraine war has really changed. It’s gone from 1945 and its trench warfare to 2024 and all the modern technology such as drones and missiles,” Baba Yaga says. “So, it’s basically not like any other war I have previously experienced.”
It is estimated by military experts that some 80 percent of current casualties in the war are the result of drone attacks. It’s known that field commanders now have unprecedented visibility and live intelligence about their battlefields.
A lover of “adventure and challenges,” Baba Yaga, though, is realistic about the future prospects of the Kursk move and the war in general.
“ZSU [Ukrainian acronym for AFU] are doing what they can do best with what they have,” Baba Yaga says. “The problem is that the Ukrainian military won’t be able to hold Kursk because Russia has overwhelming forces and resources, and Ukraine doesn’t have the same. So, the longer this war goes on the harder it will be to win.”
Baba Yaga is one of an unknown number of Australians currently serving with the AFU. About seven Australians have been killed in action on Ukraine’s battlefields since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
While he is 16,000 kilometers (almost 10,000 miles) away from his Down Under home, including his last residency in “sunny Queensland,” Baba Yaga reserves a direct message for his fellow Aussies at home.
“To the Australian people: you need to start supporting the Ukrainian people here, not their bloody government,” he says.
“Because it is exactly like our government back in Australia. It doesn’t listen to the people of the country. The politicians say one thing and do another. So, people of Australia, please start supporting us. We need donors to assist with supplies and equipment for our teams. It would definitely make life a little easier here,” Baba Yaga continues.
At the official level, Australia has provided some $1 billion in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, placing it seventh among non-NATO countries. However, its government has been strongly criticized by Ukraine supporters for disposing of Taipan helicopters and other surplus military equipment rather than directing it to Ukraine.
Australians have also donated nearly $10 million to the Ukrainian Crisis Appeal, a humanitarian initiative of the diaspora organization, the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations.
While his skepticism is battle-earned, Baba Yaga remains an idealist of sorts.
“I really hope I’m still here for the Victory Parade if it does happen,” he says.
“No country in this day and age should be allowed to invade into another. It’s hard to believe we haven’t learnt that from past history.”
Baba Yaga signs off from his talk with Kyiv Post. Another mission awaits. Apparently, it’s time to do “my bit for humanity” again.
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