THE discovery of a MyKad and driver's license – apparently belonging to a youth from Padang Besar, Perlis – that was found in Levadne, Zaporizhia, a conflict zone in Ukraine, has garnered much interest.
The family of the 20-year-old Malaysian said he was a student, but Wisma Putra was unable to confirm its authenticity and is seeking more information from relevant authorities for confirmation.
The found documents were among the "trophies" taken by Russian forces.
In January, Free Malaysia Today reported the Ukrainian military as claiming that Malaysians were among those serving as mercenaries alongside Russians in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.
The report claimed that mercenaries from Malaysia, accompanied by a translator, were spotted in the region, a large area under the control of Russian forces and their proxies since 2014.
The Malaysian in question is said to be associated with the 16th Rifle Battalion of Ukraine, which is engaged in combat against the Russian army.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain told Bernama that Special Branch officers from Bukit Aman have reached out to the Russian Embassy on the matter.
Paid foreign mercenaries and adventure seekers have been part of the ongoing war since it broke out in 2022.
There have been numerous reports of Britons who showed up in Ukraine to fight the Russians after answering President Volodymyr Zelensky's call to foreigners. There have also been reported fatalities involving these Britons.
At least 50 Americans, mostly US Army veterans, have died, according to the list published by the Task & Purpose portal, which reports on US military matters.
It reported that most of the Americans were killed in battle while others died while providing humanitarian assistance.
The first wave of foreign fighters, reportedly over 17,000 of them, came in from 2014-2019 during the war in Donbas, with a second wave starting from 2022.
Since 2022, foreigners supporting Russians include those from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Latvia, according to reports. Some are members of the Russian diaspora, who signed up for ideological reasons, while others are said to be mercenaries.
The BBC reported on Sept 18 that 91 Indians joined the Russians – but the Indian fighters later claimed they had been duped and asked to be rescued.
Al-Jazeera reported in April that the Russians were paying Indians, Sri Lankans and Nepalese to fight in the war, which had the approval of Russian President Vladimir Putin. It also quoted a Nepali mercenary saying that Tajik and Afghan fighters had been sent straight to the frontline.
What about Americans and Europeans? The official line is that no US Army marines are involved in front-line combat but one report said there were 97 special forces fighters from NATO countries operating in Ukraine, including 14 from the United States.
When asked by the Guardian newspaper for confirmation, the US Department of Defense (DOD) said: "We are not going to discuss or confirm classified information due to the potential impact on national security as well as the safety and security of our personnel and those of our allies and our partners." The Pentagon has not issued any denial either.
While 14 special forces fighters sounds like a drop in the bucket, these revelations are just a drop in the trickle of other information over the last year that, when added up, leaves more questions than answers. The bottom line, says military analyst (Ret) Lt Col Daniel Davis, is that Americans have a right to know.
"It is entirely appropriate that the American people know, authoritatively," reported the Responsible Statecraft, the online magazine of the Quincy Institute.
The US Department of State has officially said it has provided more than US$64.1bil in military assistance since Russia launched its premeditated, unprovoked and brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb 24, 2022, and approximately US$66.9bil in military assistance since Russia's initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014.
"We have now used the emergency Presidential Drawdown Authority on 55 occasions since August 2021 to provide Ukraine military assistance totalling approximately US$31.7bil from DOD stockpiles," it said.
Now, we read of about 8,000 to 10,000 North Koreans, paid or otherwise, in Russia near the Ukraine border.
It's a large number and the world can assume that they are well trained. Unlike the rickety combatants from poor South Asian countries, US veterans or mercenaries, the appearance of the North Koreans, if true, is a different game altogether.
The outcome of the US presidential elections will also be another factor. If Trump wins, he may stop having any interest in Ukraine as he does not see it as a US problem. The plus side is he may push for an end to the war by bringing both Putin and Zalesky to the negotiating table.
Wong Chun Wai
Wong Chun Wai began his career as a journalist in Penang, and has served The Star for over 35 years in various capacities and roles. He is now group editorial and corporate affairs adviser to the group, after having served as group managing director/chief executive officer. On The Beat made its debut on Feb 23 1997 and Chun Wai has penned the column weekly without a break, except for the occasional press holiday when the paper was not published. In May 2011, a compilation of selected articles of On The Beat was published as a book and launched in conjunction with his 50th birthday. Chun Wai also comments on current issues in The Star.
