He calls himself Yakuza, that’s his nom de guerre. He did not hesitate to take up arms to come to the aid of his adopted country. “Ukraine offered me asylum, it welcomed me. I am very grateful to it. That’s why I decided to fight. It’s to defend it”, explains this Uighur, whose family fled China and persecution years ago.
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However, he could have fled the war because, as a political refugee, Yakuza is not subject to the ban on leaving the territory, unlike Ukrainian men. But if he is now fighting the Moscow army, it is because he wants to take revenge on the Chinese regime, an ally of Russia. Beijing which martyrizes the Uyghurs, he says.
“Currently, China is waging fierce repression against the Uyghurs. It is worse than the methods of Stalin, the executioner.”
Yakuza, Uyghur fighter in the Ukrainian armyat franceinfo
“China supports Russia in every waydenounces Yakuza. They are two dictatorships. So if we win against the Russians, then we can take on China.”
“If Russia wins, the dictatorships will have a free hand”
Like him, there are many foreigners to fight in Ukraine. According to the kyiv authorities, there are nearly 20,000 from around fifty countries. Yakuza fears above all a victory of Russia. He describes Moscow as a threat to democracies. A victory for the Russian army would, in his view, change the international situation.
“If Ukraine loses this war, China will invade Taiwan and completely occupy it in two or three months. It would be a victory for the dictatorships.”
He warns: “They will have a free hand. If Russia wins, they will continue to advance in Europe. That is why Ukraine must win.” Yakuza, fought on several fronts, such as that of Irpin, Boutcha or recently Bakhmout. He is currently resting in the capital before returning to fight the Russian army.