It has just gotten dark outside when Kim André (35) and Tommy Andre Frydenlund (28) meet Dagbladet at the opera in Oslo on Friday night.
In just a few hours, their flight will depart from Rygge to Kraków. From there, they intend to move on to Ukraine to contribute to the fight against the Russians.
– What is the motivation for going down?
– There are two things that drive me very hard: It’s the boy, and then I do it a little to clean up my name, says Kim André, who does not want to be mentioned by last name.
First IS – now Putin: – Cursed
He has had a difficult childhood, he says, and has since lived a life in violation of the law. By traveling down to Ukraine, he hopes to be associated with something positive.
– And then I think it’s ugly on the face that we sit on the ass and do nothing. People need help.
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Has no military experience
The Ukrainian Foreign Legion was established on February 27. Two days later, President Volodymyr Zelensky introduced a visa-free regime for foreigners who want to fight the Russians.
The two Norwegians have not contacted the embassy, and do not know the details of the contracts they will be presented after arrival.
They also have no military experience.
– What do you expect to be able to contribute?
Survived missile attacks: – Scary
– I do what they need me to, says Kim André.
The 35-year-old takes care of most of the talking. Tommy Andre Frydenlund is a quieter type.
Common to them is the aversion to “sitting still and watching” what is happening in Ukraine, and that they feel they have nothing to lose by going down.
Frydenlund says that he has had a lot of adversity both on a personal level and elsewhere in recent years.
LITTLE TO LOSE: Tommy André Frydenlund is on his way to Ukraine. Photo: Lars Eivind Bones / Dagbladet
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– Has done a lot of ugly
They refer to themselves as “club boys”, and are both part of the gang network Mongrel Mob. The club vests are on, the night before departure.
According to Vice Since its inception in New Zealand in the 60’s, Mongrel Mob has pressed a number of Nazi symbols to its chest – mainly to provoke. The network consists of various branches, and many of the members have been convicted.
– It’s my family. This is what I live for, says Kim André.
– That’s all we have, Frydenlund adds.
They do not want to go into detail about the network and the activities they themselves have participated in.
– I’ve done a lot of ugly things in life. I have nine sentences behind me in prison, says Kim André.
Whether there are more gang members planning to fight the Russians, he will not answer.
Dagbladet receives confirmation from them that they are in place in Poland on Monday morning.
WILL REINWASH ITS REPUTATION: Norwegian Kim André will fight for the Ukrainians. Photo: Lars Eivind Bones / Dagbladet
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Researcher: – Great risk
Dagbladet has recently been in contact with a number of Norwegians who are considering enlisting in the Ukrainian Foreign Legion.
Some have significant military experience – others almost none. Some have a professional background from, for example, the ambulance service.
Those who travel down to fight must be aware that they are exposing themselves to a great risk, warns chief researcher Tor Bukkvoll at the Armed Forces Research Institute.
– The risk depends on how well trained you are. The less you can, the greater the risk, says Bukkvoll.
GREAT RISK: This is stated by chief researcher Tor Bukkvoll at the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment. Photo: FFI
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The chief researcher believes that the volunteer foreign soldiers will mainly be incorporated into the Ukrainian ground forces. Those with little or no experience may be used in the Ukrainian Home Guard.
At present we know little about those who enlist. Bukkvoll thinks it is a composite group. He draws lines to 2014, when the war in the Donbas broke out.
– Even then, there were significant foreign fighters in Ukraine – as far as both sides of the conflict are concerned, says the chief researcher.
– Many of them were mainly people who like to fight, and who saw an opportunity for it. Then there were those with political motives. In addition, there was a lot of talk that some of them were right-wing radicals. That’s probably true for some, but I do not think it was a big part of the grouping.
The two Norwegians admit that they do not know what awaits them. They know they can die, but claim they are not afraid.
– Now we can do something useful – for once, says Frydenlund.
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