Brazilian loses R$340,000 in bets and enlists in the Ukrainian war to overcome addiction Thiago Morais da Silva Moita, 35, from Rio de Janeiro, made an extreme decision to try to regain control of his own life. After losing more than R$340,000 in online betting, he left the coast of São Paulo and enlisted in the Ukrainian Army. The case gained repercussion after the combatant reported that going to war was the way he found to overcome ludopathy, which is an addiction to gambling. “I needed to get out of that environment to change my thinking, get out of that mental prison,” he told g1. ? Click here to follow the new g1 Santos channel on WhatsApp. Life before the war Born in Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Moita grew up in the municipality of São Gonçalo (RJ). In 2022, he moved to Iguape, on the coast of São Paulo, after obtaining custody of his son. In the new city, the Brazilian started working in electronics sales and as an app driver. However, all the money earned on the services ended up being consumed by virtual betting platforms. Thiago Morais da Silva Moita, 35 years old, fights in the war in Ukraine Reproduction/Instagram The addiction The peak of the disorder occurred when Moita lost R$75,000 in a single day. The decision to change his life path came after a psychologist revealed that he showed signs of gambling disorder. "I was destroying myself. I thought: 'I need to get out of here, I need to change'. My father told me: You've already bet everything you have, now you're going to bet your life?", reported the combatant. To try to curb his spending, he even asked his father to confiscate his cell phone. The decision and routine With a military family, Moita decided to join the International Defense Legion of Ukraine in March this year. The attitude was not well received by his relatives, but he claims that the challenge changed his perception about money. On his uniform, the Brazilian carries an identification strip with the nickname "BadBoy", the name he used with a group of friends when he was growing up in São Gonçalo. The routine in the European country includes missions that last from a week to 40 days and daily 12-hour training in handling weapons, mines, grenades and explosives. The risks War scenario in Ukraine Jornal Nacional/ Reproduction Moita explained that he does not work in the "assault" teams, which are on the front line in direct confrontations with the Russians. Despite this, the troops live with the constant threat of drone and missile attacks. As soon as he arrived in the country, he survived a direct attack on the base where he was stationed. "Less than a week after I got there, a missile hit my house. A fighter jet passed by and dropped three bombs there," he said. On another occasion, he escaped a fatal bombing that left dozens dead and killed a Brazilian colleague, as he had been transferred out of the region in time. Future The military contract provides for a month of vacation. As a result, Moita is scheduled to return to Brazil between November and December this year. After this rest period, the Brazilian will need to make a new decision: terminate the agreement with the Armed Forces or serve the next three years representing the Ukrainian Army. “I don’t know what will happen from now on,” he said.