A Colonel's Journey: From U. S. Training to Ukraine's Battlefields

A Russian colonel, Andrei Demurenko, returned to active duty in 2023, at the age of 67, to fight in Ukraine. He believed leaders should share the hardships of their soldiers. So, he visited the frontlines, crawling through trenches in the rain and sleeping in mud, while artillery boomed in the distance and Bakhmut burned. Demurenko's path to this moment was unusual. In 1992, he was the first Russian commander to study at the U. S. Army’s Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. This was a time of hope, when some thought the end of the Cold War would bring lasting peace between the U. S. and Russia. Demurenko and his American colleagues shared this hope, forming friendships they believed would last a lifetime. But those hopes faded. Demurenko returned to Russia and embraced the Kremlin's narrative that Ukraine was a threat to Russia's existence. By 2023, he was back in the military, fighting in Ukraine. He later shared his story with a Russian military journal, which caught the attention of U. S. officials. Demurenko's story raises questions about how people's beliefs can change. He once saw cooperation between the U. S. and Russia as possible, but later came to believe in the Kremlin's claims. His journey shows how easily people can be influenced by those in power. Demurenko's actions also highlight the harsh realities of war. He chose to leave the comfort of retirement to experience the horrors of the frontlines. This decision reflects his belief in leading by example, but it also shows the tragic consequences of conflict.