Former editor-in-chief of The Ukrainian Week, Serhiy Demchuk, now serves in Ukraine’s International Legion, fighting side by side with volunteers from around the world. Whenever there’s a moment of calm on the front line, he sends back dispatches—snapshots of life under fire, offering a glimpse into the harsh realities faced by those defending the country. This story focuses on a group of young Sri Lankans who have come to fight for Ukraine.
One of them, Djelo, suffered what you might call an unusual battlefield injury: a wound to his middle finger. It happened in the middle of a firefight—just as he was flipping off the Russians.
Djelo is 27. He arrived in Ukraine from Sri Lanka in 2023 and has since seen combat near Andriivka and in the forests of Serebryansky. It was there, amid the trees and trenches, that the incident with his finger took place.
“I had a wound on my middle finger, so I showed it to the Russians. That was the last thing they saw—then we took them all out. There were 11 of them,” the legionnaire says with a grin. “Three of our guys were seriously wounded in the assault, but we wiped out the entire enemy group. It was the third time I’ve injured that finger.”
Back in Sri Lanka, Djelo served in the military. He doesn’t hide the fact that he has an appetite for combat. “There’s no war in Sri Lanka, but I wanted to fight,” he says. “My commander back home—he used to be a dentist—was killed in Andriivka. He called me, asking for help, because civilians were dying here. And so I came.”
There’s no hesitation in his voice when he speaks of his loyalty. “I’m always on Ukraine’s side. So many civilians are dying. I saw them being killed just 50 to 200 metres from where I stood.”
He continues, recalling fragments from the front: “I met a lot of North Korean soldiers in Kursk fighting for Russia. They’re the enemy. When you see an enemy, you shoot,” Djelo says matter-of-factly. “Sometimes I’m a machine gunner, sometimes a team leader, sometimes something else entirely. Each of us takes on different roles. Training makes us better at what we do. We regularly drill assaults and defensive manoeuvres. I’m not afraid to fight—we’re soldiers. I’ve been here for two years and held my ground. I’ve been wounded three times: both legs, my right shoulder, and a finger. The first time, my commander and I were advancing when they started firing grenade launchers…”
Djelo’s middle finger no longer bends. In a way, it’s become a permanent gesture aimed at the Russians—from the free world.
Ukraine’s International Legion is made up of volunteers from more than 50 countries. It was established on 27 February 2022, just days after the full-scale Russian invasion. Since then, the Legion has fought in Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the Kharkiv sector and taken part in the defence of Bakhmut, Avdiivka and other towns across the Donetsk region. The chain of command—officers and sergeants—is Ukrainian. Foreign legionnaires are free to terminate their contracts and leave Ukraine at any time. They receive state honours, and some have been awarded the Order for Courage. Many are eligible for a fast-track to Ukrainian citizenship—and a growing number are choosing to stay.
