A soldier in a Ukrainian uniform morosely contemplates the ruins of an Orthodox monastery in Ukraine's japanese Donetsk area.
"This can be a results of Putin's battle," he says, angrily, as he paces by way of the wreck. "As a Christian, that is very offensive to me."
The soldier, whose identify has not been revealed to guard his identification, goes by the call-sign "Caesar". He's one among tons of, if not hundreds, preventing to maintain the city of Bakhmut, the present epicentre of the battle, in Ukrainian fingers.
However there's one factor that units him other than most of those that share the identical purpose: he is Russian.
"From the primary day of the battle, my coronary heart, the center of an actual Russian man, an actual Christian, informed me that I needed to be right here to defend the folks of Ukraine," Caesar explains. "We at the moment are preventing within the Bakhmut path, that is the most popular a part of the entrance."
Few, if any, buildings of the japanese Ukrainian city have been spared by the never-ending artillery barrages fired back and forth. Lots of the buildings have been utterly destroyed, others left uninhabitable with collapsed sections, in apocalyptic scenes harking back to the battered metropolis of Mariupol, captured by Russia earlier within the battle.
"After the (Russian) mobilisation (in September), Putin threw all his forces (at Bakhmut) to be able to obtain a breaking level within the battle, however we're placing up a fierce defensive battle," Caesar says.
A lot of Ukraine's resisting power has needed to hunker down in muddy trenches, preventing tooth and nail to disclaim Russian forces a victory they desperately crave.
"The preventing could be very brutal now," Caesar explains.
A couple of miles away from the battle, however nonetheless in earshot of the fixed thuds and explosions, Caesar's dedication is unflinching and he doesn't remorse his determination to hitch Ukraine's overseas legion.
Whereas the urge to enroll got here early on within the battle, he may solely go away his residence nation, together with his shut household, and be a part of the Ukrainian army in the summertime.
"It was a really tough course of," he says. "It took me a number of months to lastly be a part of the ranks of the defenders of Ukraine."
Now together with his household in Ukraine - the place he considers them to be safer - Caesar says he's one among round 200 Russian residents at the moment preventing alongside Ukrainian forces, in opposition to their very own nation's armies. CNN has not been ready independently to substantiate this quantity.
In Caesar's view, Moscow's forces are usually not true Russians.
"Sure, I kill my countrymen, however they've turn into criminals," he explains. "They got here to a overseas land to rob and kill and destroy. They kill civilians, kids and girls."
"I've to confront this," he added.
Caesar is a self-confessed opponent of what he says is a "tyrannical regime" headed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, not simply in Ukraine but in addition inside his personal nation. And in his confrontation of the battle, he has needed to shoot no less than 15 Russian troopers on the battlefield, he claims.
They're lives he didn't pity and killings he doesn't remorse, he says.
"I'm preventing a noble battle and I'm doing my army and Christian responsibility; I'm defending the Ukrainian folks," Caesar says. "And when Ukraine is free, I'll carry my sword to Russia to free it from tyranny."
Household ties
Caesar's ideological drive isn't the one purpose some Russians have chosen to aspect with Ukrainians on the battlefield. For a lot of the motivation lies nearer to the center.
"Silent," the call-sign of one other Russian soldier whose full identify CNN isn't disclosing for his security, was visiting Ukraine when Russian missiles and artillery shells began touchdown in its cities and cities on February 24.
"I got here to Ukraine at first of February to go to my kin. I stayed right here and battle began," Silent says.
He says he joined the Ukrainian army shortly after he noticed the atrocities perpetrated by Russian troopers within the suburbs of Bucha, Irpin and Borodianka, simply outdoors the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Proof of mass graves and civilian executions in these areas emerged following the withdrawal of Russian forces from the Kyiv area in early April.
Russia has beforehand denied allegations of battle crimes and claimed its forces don't goal civilians, regardless of in depth proof gathered by worldwide human rights specialists, felony investigators and worldwide media in a number of areas.
"I used to be simply outdoors Kyiv, not removed from these locations, and after they have been kicked out of that territory, we went there to assist folks and noticed what that they had carried out," Silent says. "Useless our bodies, kids, ladies, executions ... If you see it in individual ... in fact all the pieces inside turned the wrong way up."
He provides: "I made a decision to remain right here till the tip and be a part of the legion."
Silent says his greatest buddy has just lately been forcibly mobilised into Russia's military again residence. Silent says they've mentioned the terrifying indisputable fact that it is conceivable they might find yourself on reverse sides on a Ukrainian battlefield.
"It is bizarre that that might occur - particularly as he desires to depart Russia and desires to come back to battle with me in opposition to Putin's military in Ukraine. We're making an attempt to get him out however he is being held by the Russian military," says Silent.
His household, like many in Russia and Ukraine, has roots in each nations. His spouse and two kids at the moment are dwelling with him in Ukraine however different kin stay in Russia. Silent says that though they've stayed behind, they see by way of Putin's propaganda on the battle, nonetheless described as a "particular army operation" by the Kremlin.
"They perceive what's going on: Russia invaded Ukraine," he says, including that his kin weren't offended with him. "They know my character, that if I've decided, I'll act till the tip.
"They informed me to remain secure."
The lengthy arm of the Kremlin
One other soldier, who goes by the call-sign "Vinnie," insists on masking his face with a balaclava, fearing that the Kremlin's lengthy arm would possibly attempt to attain him in Ukraine.
"My household isn't right here with me proper now," he explains. He says he's preventing for them and for his or her future, however nonetheless fears what Moscow's safety equipment would possibly do to them.
"My kids, my spouse, who I really like very a lot, they're my all the pieces, my complete life," he says, with a sparkle in his eyes and a smile that may be detected by way of the fabric masking his face.
"If I present my face ... I fear about them, as a result of there will be nobody to guard them," he provides.
It is one of many added dangers for Russian residents risking their lives for Ukraine, however not the one one. Russian troopers preventing for Ukraine may face harder penalties than their Ukrainian counterparts in the event that they're captured by the enemy.
Final month, a soldier who abandoned the Russian mercenary group Wagner and crossed onto the Ukrainian aspect, Yevgeny Nuzhin, was brutally murdered with a sledgehammer after he went again to Russia.
His execution was applauded by the top of the group, Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin. With out straight acknowledging that Wagner fighters had carried out the homicide, Prigozhin mentioned: "Nuzhin betrayed his folks, betrayed his comrades, betrayed them consciously. He was not taken prisoner, nor did he give up. Moderately, he deliberate his escape. Nuzhin is a traitor."
This type of instance is why Vinnie is definite of what is going to await him ought to he be captured.
"There will not be an alternate for certain. Will probably be the tip, 100 per cent," he says. "It would simply be extra painful."
However ache and loss of life are usually not part of this unit's lexicon, at the same time as they face overwhelming odds in Bakhmut.
Russia has been making an attempt to seize the city for months and has thrown massive numbers of males at Ukrainian defences in an try to interrupt them. However they have not damaged Vinnie.
"I'm defending the nation, I'm defending properties, ladies, kids, individuals who can not defend themselves," he says. "My conscience is totally clear."
Caesar, standing amid the stays of the Orthodox monastery, is equally defiant, saying not even the prospect of defeat will make him waver.
"I'll keep right here whereas my coronary heart will beats. I'll battle to defend Ukraine," he says.
"And when we have now defended Ukraine I'll liberate my nation."