Ukraine's newest heroes

 Russian defectors have joined the forces of Kyiv, becoming Ukraine's newest heroes

Volodymyr Grotskov, like all of his fellow soldiers in the Ukrainian army, risks his life on the bloody front of the merciless conflict with Russia out of a deep-seated sense of patriotism.

The 48-year-old electrical engineer claims to love his nation and regards the Kremlin as a harmful "disease" that jeopardises international stability. He underlines, "I fight for freedom and democracy, even though that may sound arrogant.

However, there is a significant distinction between Grotskov and the rest of his brigade's soldiers, who are seated next to us eating borscht and cleaning their weapons as the shattered Donbass front is pounded by the roar of artillery fire.

Because this Russian soldier serving in the Ukrainian military is fighting to free his native country from a dictatorship and to protect his new nation.

What would happen if you were discovered, then? As we conversed at the temporary agricultural base where his unit was stationed, I asked the soft-spoken soldier. He responded, smiling, "Death would come," acknowledging that many of his fellow citizens would view him as a traitor.

Nevertheless, he is one of many Russians who have defected to Kiev's side out of rage at Vladimir Putin's brutality and corruption, including captured prisoners of war and even a top executive in one of Moscow's main financial organisations.

"Russian men, if you despise Putin's government and want your nation to become a free, democratic nation,11 years ago, pro-democracy demonstrations broke out all throughout Russia to stop Putin's party from winning the parliamentary elections as a result of widespread fraud and electoral rigging.

After seeing a video made by Alexei Navalny, an anti-corruption activist who has subsequently survived a poisoning attack and been imprisoned, Grotskov joined tiny protests in his hometown of Kandalaksha.

Based on papers obtained by Navalny, the movie described how one of Putin's closest allies stole billions of pounds from an oil pipeline project.

"I was surprised by the extent of organised unfairness and corruption at the highest level," stated Grotskov. I started examining the political and economic conditions when I came to the conclusion that we had to overthrow this regime.

The soldier started holding up signs and joining the demonstrations; his family still lives in Russia. Putin, however, determined it was wrong to pay taxes to support a thieving and poisonous regime after Ukraine's Crimea was forcibly taken from it in 2014. I've always wanted to fight for justice, the man remarked. "I came to Ukraine because I knew that this is the most exciting area to fight against Putin's imperial tyranny." He had first intended to launch an internet effort to gather information with pals in Russia.

"They have pleasure, spend money, and have businesses abroad," he said. They couldn't get to the West, and I wanted to make sure of that. There has been brainwashing for many years.

But later in 2014, when conflict broke out as a result of Putin inciting a separatist revolt in the Donbass, Grotskov, who had been residing there illegally, enlisted with the Ukrainian Volunteer Forces and took part in one of the bloodiest fights near Donetsk. He is enraged by his countrymen's involvement. Many people receive the same information I did, but they choose to ignore it, he claimed. When the fighting began, I came to the conclusion that 99 percent of people enjoy seeing Ukrainians suffer, get bombed, and die.

Grotskov, who was granted permission to remain in Ukraiof After returning four months ago, he declared last autumn that he is pleased to be fighting for Kyiv and added, "I feel at home. My buddies are here, and I will fight for this nation because I love it. But he also thinks that by overthrowing the government, he will be able to defend "the whole civilised world."

He contends that Russia's problems go well beyond the current leader and wants to see the Moscow empire destroyed.

"I myself am not against Putin because if it's not Putin, it'll be someone else," he continued. Russia shouldn't exist in its current form.

It is a cancer on the global body. Take any global military crisis, such as that in Africa or Syria, and you can always find the hand of.....