Meet the former restaurant owner in RO who left everything to fight in the war in Ukraine: 'I'm on the right side'

From the kitchen to the front line On social media, Antônio shares part of his routine at the front. In photos and videos, he appears wearing a camouflage uniform, helmet, protective glasses and with a rifle in his hands. Despite the distance from home and the risks of war, Antônio says he receives support from his family. According to him, his mother, brother, sister-in-law and nephews were scared when they found out about the decision, but today they encourage him. "At first they were scared and a little scared, but they always sent me words of encouragement," he said. For security reasons and to avoid Russian attacks, the exact location of the battalion where Antônio works is kept confidential. He states that he is calm, does not regret his choice and leaves a message for anyone thinking of following the same path. "Only come if you have a real desire to help. If it's for money, don't even try," he said. Even though he lives the reality of war every day, the former businessman is already making plans for when the conflict ends. "I love Brazil and I will return, God willing. My plan is to open another sushi restaurant, but this time in João Pessoa, Paraíba." Protests and annexations: how it all started Animosities between Kiev and Moscow began in early 2014, however, years before the open conflict. In February of that year, a series of popular demonstrations on Maidan Square, the center of the country's political power, put an end to the government of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovitch, an early ally of the Kremlin. In response, Moscow began supporting separatist movements in Russian-majority regions. In March 2014, the Crimean peninsula and its main city, Sevastopol, signed a “unilateral declaration of independence”, followed by a referendum that approved the annexation of the territory to Russia. Neither instrument has been recognized as legitimate by Ukraine or the international community. In the Donbass region, in the far east of the country, Russia armed and financed pro-Moscow militias that fought against Kiev, leaving the provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk effectively under Russian control ever since. According to the UN, at least 15,172 Ukrainian civilians have died in the four years of conflict, with the total number potentially higher. Volodymyr Zelensky said in February 2026 that 55,000 of his soldiers had died, but CSIS calculations estimate a much higher figure, up to 140,000 casualties. On the Russian side, Moscow has been reticent in providing official figures. The BBC puts the number of Russian military casualties at at least 160,000. The American think tank estimates the number of deaths at around 325 thousand from February 2022 to December 2025. The CSIS calculates that, between civilian and military deaths and injuries, the sum of total war casualties could reach 1.8 million or even 2 million by the end of March — an irreparable loss that contrasts with advances and millimetric retreats on the front.