MORE than 16,000 kilometres from home, surrounded by the stench of death, the crack of gunfire and the constant threat of drone attacks, 21-year-old Ratu Sefanaia Laua Daunibau is living a reality few young Fijians could imagine.
In a war zone where death has become an everyday sight, the Tailevu villager says his faith is keeping him alive — and his desire to help the wounded is keeping him there.
Recruited by the Russian Armed Forces in April this year, Ratu Sefanaia found himself thrust into the brutal reality of the war in Ukraine, where he says nearly 100 soldiers in his unit have been killed in combat with Ukrainian forces.
What began as a desire to experience life in the military has become a firsthand encounter with the horrors of war — flying grenades, armed drones hunting down soldiers in hiding, bodies scattered across battlefields and the painful task of bringing fallen comrades back to their base.
“It is like living in hell,” he said.
Speaking about his experiences on social media and in an interview with this newspaper, Ratu Sefanaia described a world far removed from the familiar surroundings of his village in Tailevu, where the sounds of everyday life have been replaced by the constant danger of combat.
He recalled the grim reality of recovering the bodies of fellow soldiers killed by grenades and militarised drones.
“It stinks of death,” he said.
“Our men who were killed, we helped them by bringing back their bodies to where we are stationed.
“We could not leave them behind.”
Taking a rest in a Ukrainian bunker overtaken by his unit at around 11pm yesterday, the young soldier said he has already suffered injuries during his time on the battlefield. Shrapnel remains lodged in his bottom lip, while other fragments struck his face.
In a place where medical attention is limited, he says soldiers must often fend for themselves, with doctors prioritising those suffering the most severe injuries.
“Over here you have to take care of yourself. The unit doctor will only look at the most severe injuries.”
Yet despite the danger, the injuries and the relentless exposure to death, Ratu Sefanaia says he remains determined to complete his one-year contract.
His reason for staying, he insists, is not to kill.
“I have not killed anyone. I just wanted to come help those who are injured.”
It is a statement that offers a glimpse into the young man’s perspective as he navigates the grim realities of a war that has dragged on since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Ratu Sefanaia said he was recruited alongside a relative, who had applied online to join the Russian military and later encouraged him to follow.
“My cousin applied online and he then recruited me.
“The plan was for him to go first, and I joined him later, but he was stopped by immigration at the airport because of some credit issues.
“I came anyway.”
He said he knew he was joining the Russian army and understood that the decision could put his life at risk. But he wanted to experience military life for himself.
“I know it is dangerous and I was going into a place where people die.
“But I wanted to see that for myself.”
Now, with the realities of combat firmly before him, he says it is his faith that gives him the strength to continue.
“Even though there is so much death around me, I will stay positive.
“I just wanted to come and help in whatever way I could.”
For now, home remains far away, and his return to Fiji depends on completing the remainder of his contract and surviving the dangers that surround him.
His account also raises questions about the recruitment of Fijians into foreign armed forces, particularly as the war in Ukraine continues to claim lives.
Fiji’s former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama had condemned Russia’s invasion in 2022, while former president Ratu Wiliame Katonivere reiterated calls for a peaceful resolution during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2024.
Questions sent to Minister for Defence Pio Tikoduadua last week about the recruitment of Fijians by the Russian military remained unanswered at the time of publication.
