Russian in the Foreign Legion: We are not fighting for France, but for money
The first Russian soldiers appeared in the Foreign Legion a long time ago. After the Civil War, when many former tsarist officers emigrated to France, there were even more Russians in the legion. But even now immigrants from Russia are attracted to service in this famous formation. Russians are welcome to the Legion - our guys are known for their fighting skills, courage, and endurance.
30-year-old Leonid from the Omsk region has long worked at home as an instructor in one of the sports clubs of the regional center. But there is a very interesting page in his biography - the young man served for several years in the Foreign Legion. Leonid had two years left before receiving a diploma at the university, when he, succumbing to the entreaties of an old friend, decided to try his luck and go to France.
Since at that time relations with parents did not stick together, there was no permanent girl, and there was always not enough money, Leonid decided to enlist in the legion. For a physically strong young guy involved in swimming and hand-to-hand combat, passing the entrance tests was not difficult. Leonid accepted. He ended up at the Legion training center, where the main emphasis was on the physical and combat training of soldiers. Leonid recalls:
In the Foreign Legion, serving is difficult. Even soldiers of engineering units, communications, support have very good training. The constant drill, sports do their job - the legionnaires really become great fighters. Otherwise nothing - the Foreign Legion is fighting all over the world today, where there are French interests. Many legionnaires manage to fight in various parts of the world - from Mali to Afghanistan.
Leonid had a chance to serve in Mali - a hot African country, even without access to the sea. Here, militants from radical Islamist groups intensified and France immediately used its combat potential in the former colony. Usually it is the legionnaires who are thrown into the “meat grinder” itself - fearing scandals, the French government protects its citizens, and foreign mercenaries are not accepted.
But Leonid says that in general he does not regret the years spent in the legion. Even that for five years he had to forget his name - literally. Indeed, in the Foreign Legion, each recruit is given a new name and surname. But, in addition to specific military skills, in the Foreign Legion you can also learn professions that are quite useful in the homeland - a car mechanic, an electrician, a specialist in communications systems, an instructor in mountaineering, swimming or hand-to-hand combat.
By the way, the pay in the legion is not so much. The salary of a soldier starts at about 1200 euros, in the future you can get 3000 euros. Of course, by Russian standards, this is a lot of money, but are they worth it to risk their lives for the interests of a foreign country? Each person makes a choice for himself ...
30-year-old Leonid from the Omsk region has long worked at home as an instructor in one of the sports clubs of the regional center. But there is a very interesting page in his biography - the young man served for several years in the Foreign Legion. Leonid had two years left before receiving a diploma at the university, when he, succumbing to the entreaties of an old friend, decided to try his luck and go to France.
Since at that time relations with parents did not stick together, there was no permanent girl, and there was always not enough money, Leonid decided to enlist in the legion. For a physically strong young guy involved in swimming and hand-to-hand combat, passing the entrance tests was not difficult. Leonid accepted. He ended up at the Legion training center, where the main emphasis was on the physical and combat training of soldiers. Leonid recalls:
In the Legion of Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, there have always been many. There are still a lot of Serbs - guys from the former Yugoslavia are also looking for luck, hiring for the service of France. But in the percentage ratio of Europeans it is still becoming less and less. For example, Arabs and Africans from the former French colonies are several times more. And we all understand that we are not fighting for France, but for money, but we are trying not to think about it and are honestly performing our duties
. In the Foreign Legion, serving is difficult. Even soldiers of engineering units, communications, support have very good training. The constant drill, sports do their job - the legionnaires really become great fighters. Otherwise nothing - the Foreign Legion is fighting all over the world today, where there are French interests. Many legionnaires manage to fight in various parts of the world - from Mali to Afghanistan.
Leonid had a chance to serve in Mali - a hot African country, even without access to the sea. Here, militants from radical Islamist groups intensified and France immediately used its combat potential in the former colony. Usually it is the legionnaires who are thrown into the “meat grinder” itself - fearing scandals, the French government protects its citizens, and foreign mercenaries are not accepted.
But Leonid says that in general he does not regret the years spent in the legion. Even that for five years he had to forget his name - literally. Indeed, in the Foreign Legion, each recruit is given a new name and surname. But, in addition to specific military skills, in the Foreign Legion you can also learn professions that are quite useful in the homeland - a car mechanic, an electrician, a specialist in communications systems, an instructor in mountaineering, swimming or hand-to-hand combat.
By the way, the pay in the legion is not so much. The salary of a soldier starts at about 1200 euros, in the future you can get 3000 euros. Of course, by Russian standards, this is a lot of money, but are they worth it to risk their lives for the interests of a foreign country? Each person makes a choice for himself ...
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