In 2014, Ukraine was under siege and the military was unprepared. Desperate, the government urged anyone to get to the front and fight the Russian-backed separatists. As the war drags on, Ukraine claims their military is now in control and the volunteers have all been disbanded. But we tracked down some rogue volunteers still out there fighting, not prepared to hand over their weapons anytime soon.

00:00 Intro
00:57 Head of Ukrainian Defense
04:00 Sneaking in to the Front Lines
10:19 Meeting the Front Line Commander
11:57 Firefight
14:00 Santa Leads the Fight
17:00 Life in Kyiv

WATCH NEXT: Left Hook: Anti-Fascist Self Defense -    • Left Hook: Anti-Fascist Self Defense  

Click here to subscribe to VICE: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE

Check out our full video catalog: http://bit.ly/VICE-Videos
Videos, daily editorial and more: http://vice.com
More videos from the VICE network: https://www.fb.com/vicevideo
Click here to get the best of VICE daily: http://bit.ly/1SquZ6v
Like VICE on Facebook: http://fb.com/vice
Follow VICE on Twitter:   / vice  
Follow us on Instagram:   / vice  
Download VICE on iOS: http://apple.co/28Vgmqz
Download VICE on Android: http://bit.ly/28S8Et0