Featured Image Credit: Voices for Ukraine/YouTube
Topics: Ukraine, World News
Tom Sanders
A Ukrainian sniper who has gathered fame and notoriety after stalking Russians across the battlefield in a Ghillie suit and Predator mask has said his ‘heart is broken’ over the war in Ukraine.
Footage of the militarised cosplayer slumped on the floor fiddling with a can of Monster energy whilst soberly sharing his thoughts on the Russian invasion has gone viral this week.
The soldier, referred to as ‘Casper’ in the video, can be seen wearing a mask from the classic Arnie film ‘Predator’ whilst also clad in army fatigues and matching green gloves. Take a look below:
In the footage, one of Casper’s fellow soldiers starts filming him and invites him to 'say something for the camera', to which he responds with a strange but oddly poignant speech.
"My heart is broken like a glass and there's no sense in living further," he says whilst playing with what looks to be a can of energy drink before taking off his mask.
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"I invited you to a dance and you said $2,000 per hour."
He then smirks at the camera and holds his knife to his head as he salutes his own joke.
The video, entitled "Ukrainian sniper & his true thoughts..." has proven to be a surprise hit on YouTube, with hundreds of commenters leaving their replies to the cosplaying comrade and talking about the strange poignancy of his words.
One person said: "Predators (Ukraine Freedom fighter) against Aliens (Russian Orks). Predators wins in all movies against Aliens, because [there is] more brain in the head of a Ukrainian fighter."
A second added: "S**t they have the predator on their side. If you see a telltale glint it's his cloaking device."
A third chipped in with: "I love the spirit and humour of these heroes."
Meanwhile, plenty of others poured in with messages of love and support and rallying cries of ‘Slava Ukraine!’
But though he might be the most threatening, Casper isn’t the only soldier who has looked to 80s action movies for inspiration in the fight against Russians.
Elsewhere in the war-torn country groups of insurgent civilian militias have taken to calling themselves ‘The Wolverines’ and have been daubing their mark across downed Russian tanks and armament, in reference to the film Red Dawn, in which a group of American teens who fight to protect their small Colorado town after a Soviet invasion.
“We are fighting for every democratic country,” says 61-year-old former lawyer Daniel Bilak, founder of the real-life Wolverines. “Certainly in Europe and for democratic and European values.”
And despite the long odds, he says: “This is not a suicide mission.
If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information