An ally of the Ukrainian troops, 40-year-old Brazilian combatant Douglas Búrigo said he had lost a uniformed colleague in battle and revealed his fear in an audio recording sent by WhatsApp to a friend days before he died.
He was at the barracks of his detachment in Kharkov city with Thalita do Valle, who died after the Russian bombing earlier yesterday (2). Three Brazilians have already been killed in the Ukrainian war – André Hack was killed in battle in the early hours of June 5.
wanted by UOL, Itamaraty (Department of State) did not comment on the report on the deaths of Douglas and Thalita until the publication of this report. It took four days for the organ to confirm André’s death. Douglas’ family said they were contacted by the Brazilian embassy in Ukraine.
I’m scared here already. Here they shot a colleague of ours. Oh my god, man! The man is gone… Son, I will tell you the truth. I don’t know if I will go back to Brazil alive. But if I don’t come back alive, I want the flag gone. [do Brasil] for me. No one to buy, too many bullets.”
Douglas Búrigo, audio sent to a friend
In another videotaped and transmitted to his friends, Douglas recorded the solidarity of the Ukrainian people, showing the fighters eating. “Every time we stop, people donate things to us. Now they donate strawberries, potatoes, and cabbage.”
How was the act that killed Douglas and Thalita?
According to a report sent to Douglas’ family via video call yesterday, the soldiers managed to escape from the accommodation after the first bombings occurred. However, Douglas returned when he realized that Thalita had not left. According to the family, the missiles hit the unit at that moment.
“The platoon commander informed us that the unit had managed to escape after the initial bombing. However, Douglas returned to pick up his comrade in uniform, who was also left behind. At that time, the missiles hit the barracks. Carlos dos Reis, Douglas’ brother-in-law .
Image: Personal archive
Douglas, born in Uruguayaiana (RS), was a soldier in the Brazilian Army. In recent years, he has moved to live with his family in the city of São José dos Ausentes, in Rio Grande do Sul, where he owns a tire shop.
He left Brazil on May 24 while boarding a plane at Guarulhos International Airport (SP). The next day, he set foot in the occupied country for the first time. The Brazilian fighter had a 15-year-old daughter.
Douglas’ brother-in-law, businessman Carlos dos Reis, said his family tried to persuade him not to join the Ukrainian troops. “But it didn’t work out. His idea was to go to Ukraine to help rebuild the country,” she says.
According to the fighters, Douglas and Thalita’s paths crossed in Ukraine while still looking for an opportunity to join the Ukrainian troops.
“Thalita took some money for him and recommended it to the platoon. [onde ele se alistou]. Then he went to a Georgia battalion. [país do Leste Europeu]. It didn’t work and he joined the same unit as Douglas,” said Fabio Júnior de Oliveira, 42, a former military officer also in Ukraine.
source: Noticias
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