Submitted by Eric Zuesse
The article below is translated from Russian without the original's accompanying photos, which can be seen by clicking on the original:
and it's based on the Spanish-language "Two Spaniards at the Battle of Donetsk, No Return Ticket," 10 August 2014 (which has yet more photos):
http://www.elmundo.es/cronica/2014/08/10/53e5f24ce2704ec30d8b4570.html
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To Defend the Donbass, Volunteers Came from Spain
11-08-2014, 21:56
Angel Arribas Mateo from Cartagena, and Rafael Munoz Perez of Asturias, are fighting side-by-side with the [anti-Kiev-Government] militia, as they say, "against fascism."
More on why these men have come to New Russia: as they told their story to the Spanish magazine El Mundo.
Both men are assigned to the battalion "Vostok", which, as stressed by the publication, also specializes in shooting down aircraft. "They are fighting for a federal state Novorossia confederation DNR and LC" [New Russia, consisting of Donetsk and Luhansk Republics] - the article says. Though the young men do not have military experience under their belt, they are now studying it. They have made theirs the flag of the Second Spanish Republic, bearing the inscription No pasaran! ("They shall not pass!").
The Spanish Republic existed in the years 1931-1939, and in its defense in those years many Russian volunteers came from the Soviet Union.
And what a turn-around now: the Spaniards are coming to help protect Russians against the fascists, this time.
According to 22-year-old Angel, a turning point for him was the Odessa tragedy, which killed more than 40 people. "I could not bear to see this barbarity and feel that I can not do anything - he told reporters. - If this had happened in Spain, I could become one of the victims." Then, Angel took the money set aside for a vacation to the UK, and went instead to help the militia. "Before the start of the youth wing of the Communist Party of Peoples of Spain (PCPE), he was a member of the youth wing of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE), part of the "United Left "- the article says.
Another Spanish volunteer activist is the social worker and professional rescuer Rafael.
As a result, these two like-minded people communicated via social networks, and flew to Ukraine on 23 July.
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