The Foreigner Group

Much has been said and written about the Azov Regiment, the now infamous volunteer unit formed during the long war in the Donbas. Amid the allegations and sensationalism from both Western and Russian media stands this unique first-hand account of what life was like in the notorious independent battalion. In The Foreigner Group, Swedish volunteer Carolus Löfroos offers in vivid detail his experience from 2014 to 2015 among the motley crew of Azov’s foreign fighter wing. Löfroos’ insight covers the period from the Euromaidan protests to the rocket attacks on Mariupol, all the way to the skirmishes in post-Soviet backwater villages like Shyrokyne, until the cease-fire agreement in 2015. Contained in this account is an invaluable piece of history which details the long war in the Donbas, setting the stage for the 2022 Russo-Ukrainian War—the latter cannot be fully understood without knowledge of the former. Antelope Hill is privileged to present Carolus Löfroos’ colorful war memoir to an international audience. This book provides key insights into an epoch-defining conflict. Foreword Post-Scriptum Map of the Mariupol area Chapter 01: The Buildup to War Chapter 02: Volunteering Chapter 03: The Road to Ukraine Chapter 04: Kyiv Chapter 05: Stranger Among Strangers Chapter 06: Waiting Chapter 07: Urzuf Chapter 08: Paranoia Chapter 09: The Polygon Chapter 10: Training Continues Chapter 11: Mines at the Beach Chapter 12: Shot at for the Cameras Chapter 13: Search and Destroy Chapter 14: Quality Equipment Chapter 15: A Guardian Angel Chapter 16: Too Much of Too Little Chapter 17: A New Year Chapter 18: A Darker Kyiv Chapter 19: A New Home Chapter 20: Forward of the Front Line Chapter 21: Funerals Chapter 22: Rockets Over Mariupol Chapter 23: “Outta my face, please!” Chapter 24: Nervous Opponents Chapter 25: The Last Offensive Chapter 26: Attack on Pavlopil Chapter 27: Recon Outside Lebedynske Chapter 28: Långström’s Raid Chapter 29: A Big Explosion Chapter 30: Frontline Ravefest Chapter 31: Shyrokyne Chapter 32: The Shelling Begins Chapter 33: The Battle of Shyrokyne Chapter 34: A Chaotic Retreat Chapter 35: The Mighty Mayak Chapter 36: A Hotel with a Sea View Chapter 37: Back to Shyrokyne Chapter 38: The Road to Glory Chapter 39: Back Through the Valley Chapter 40: The Ceasefire Epilogue Additional Pictures