Report: Japanese ex-yakuza fights for Ukraine Activists pour black paint into Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain

A former criminal from Japan is now fighting for Ukraine, Australian broadcaster ABC News reports. The 50-year-old belonged to a yakuza group that was guilty of extortion, prostitution, gambling, fraud and drug trafficking, among other things. In Japan, several mafia-like groups are known by the name “Yakuza”.

The 50-year-old, who goes by the pseudonym Harusan, has been in prison several times, the Australian broadcaster reports, most recently for nine years, for detonating a home-made bomb at the entrance of an organization promoting friendly relations between China and Japan. No one was injured. According to local media reports, police seized literature related to right-wing groups, extremists, gangs and terrorism in subsequent searches, ABC News reports. He received an additional year in prison for beating up a fellow inmate.

The man, who committed crimes as a teenager, is now in Ukraine. “I can’t do anything on my own, but I can’t close my eyes to the situation, so I thought, I’d like to help,” he told the Australian broadcaster. He came to Kiev through Poland. Due to his lack of military experience, the recruiting center in Ukraine initially rejected him, but accepted him after some persuasion.

According to ABC News, he first fought with his unit in Lyssychansk in the Donbass. Russia bombarded the city with artillery, the 50-year-old narrowly escaped the attack, according to the report, and his unit was disbanded.

Wanting to stay in Ukraine, he joined the Georgian Foreign Legion – one of the largest foreign combat units in Ukraine with some 1,000 soldiers. He trained as a sniper with the Legion and hopes to return to the front lines in the upcoming spring offensive, according to ABC News. He is currently standing guard outside a military barracks.