Across the divide: Two friends from Russia and Ukraine enlist in the IDF together - interview

Two different countries, two different lives, two different wars: Alexei and Anton may not have become acquainted under normal circumstances. However, the two men are best friends and are enlisting together into the 50th battalion of the Nahal Brigade of the IDF.

Anton Friedman, 19, was born in Ukraine and immigrated to Israel alone in 2019. Driven by Zionism and the brewing war in his home country, Anton chose to spend his high school years in Israel, where he met Alexei. Alexei Khumin, 20, was born in Russia and made Aliyah aged 15 alongside his mother and sister.

They were not alone in making this move to the Jewish state. The Ministry of Aliyah and Integration estimated that around 84,000 olim from Russia and about 20,000 from Ukraine have moved to Israel since the outbreak of war on February 24, 2022. Russians account for about 70% of olim every year, according to the Ministry.

The Jerusalem Post asked the two whether they struggled to find commonalities given that they came from opposing sides of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The answer was a resounding no. They became best friends quickly in high school after bonding over their two shared loves: music and Israel.

“We play together, we sing together,” said Alexei.

They both said that they always felt they had more in common than not.

Choosing to serve in a combat unit

The Post asked them if, given that both their home countries are at war, they ever felt driven to serve in their respective armies, or if they had always intended to serve in the IDF.

Alexei told the Post that he was initially scared of serving in the IDF, having seen the impact of war on his home country. Knowing he would need to enlist if he stayed, he was initially set on a non-combat role. However, this changed when he completed a year of voluntary service with the Tarbut movement after finishing high school. The Tarbut movement’s volunteer year takes around 150 high school graduates and places them in cultural institutions in the Negev and the Galilee.

During this volunteer year, Alexei was stationed across Israel and learned more about Israeli culture. This changed his mind about combat. He realized how fiercely he wanted to protect Israel and its people.

October 7 was also a major turning point for him, pushing him to realize how essential combat soldiers are in ensuring the safety of Israel.

Anton weighed up serving in both the IDF and the Ukrainian army but was fearful of combat.

However, he developed a connection to the Nahal Brigade during his volunteer service year with Tarbut. His guide for the program was Dima, a reserve commander of the 50th Battalion, who spoke to him of his experiences in the unit and inspired Anton to follow in his footsteps.

Both men share the same motivations: play their part, don their uniforms, and protect their people.

However, their families took a little longer to acclimatize to this decision. Having both left conflict zones, the idea that their sons would serve in combat roles was “challenging” and “complicated,” both men told the Post.

Anton – an only child – needed his parents to sign a form saying they would permit him to serve in a combat role, a law in Israel for all only children. “It took some time to convince them,” he said, but they eventually understood how important it was for him to enlist in a combat unit.

Experiences of antisemitism

Speaking on their experiences of antisemitism, the two men said they had “very different experiences.” Anton, in Ukraine, said he didn’t experience any antisemitism and felt very comfortable with his Jewish identity, although he said he did not live in a big city, so his experience may have been different.

Alexei, on the other hand, said he was very aware of antisemitism in Russia despite not being a very active member of his local community. The hostility towards Jews, he said, was intensified by both the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war, which compounded existing issues.

Interestingly, the 2023 edition of the Anti-Defamation League’s Global 100 antisemitism index showed that antisemitism was more prevalent in Ukraine than Russia, with 29% of Ukrainians still upholding common antisemitic tropes and ideas, as to 26% of Russians.

The phrase the two men repeated the most was “I want to protect my country” a statement all the more powerful given Israel is their chosen country, not their birth country. The new cohort of enlisted soldiers, of which Anton and Alexei form part, will be taking the baton from the brave heroes who have fought since Oct. 7.