#3rd Assault Brigade

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it shook the world. For many Americans, it was another headline—something happening “over there.” But for some of the US veterans and volunteers, it was a call to action. They packed bags, bought one-way tickets, and entered a war that wasn’t theirs, at least not by birth. For them, it became a matter of principle.

Meet the drones and their operators—pairs forged in war, bonded by survival. In Ukraine’s fight against the Russian invasion, these robots have become more than weapons. They’re comrades, partners in arms, serving side by side with the soldiers.

As a teenager, he joined the famed French Foreign Legion. After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he became a volunteer, fighting on some of the hottest fronts of the war. Legionnaire, boxer, and sniper of the 3rd Assault Brigade—callsign “Hepa”—by the age of 24, he had lived a lifetime’s worth of experiences.