TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — On Sunday (June 16), a Taiwanese soldier on Sunday (June 16) said he was returning to Ukraine to help fight against Russia. 

In a Facebook post, the soldier, who goes by the pseudonym Cai Bao, announced that after spending about a year in Taiwan he would return to Ukraine. As to why he had decided to go back, Cai wrote, “Thinking about it for a long time and couldn't come up with an answer; there is no lofty reason behind it. There's only one reason: that is the place I need to go.”

Cai previously served in the French Foreign Legion before convincing fellow Taiwanese member Chen Hsi (陳晞) to join the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine, reported Tai Sounds. Cai, a 27-year-old native of Taoyuan, and the 32-year-old Chen from Taipei served in different parts of the front lines during tours of duty in Ukraine from September 2022 to May 2023, per the Global Taiwan Institute. 

Cai sustained an injury to his foot when it was hit by shrapnel on the Ukrainian frontlines, reported UDN. As a result of the injury, Cai lost two toes and required skin grafting procedures.

When asked by UDN if he would fight for Taiwan if China invaded, Cai said without hesitation he would return to the battlefield for his country, “China has never given up on the possibility of ruling Taiwan. Peace talks are impossible; self-governance won't be allowed either. Look at Hong Kong."

He said Beijing is now trying to rally the Chinese by claiming that “Taiwan Province” must be “recovered." Cai concluded, "So, I would do the same thing (go into battle) because there's no retreat. You can only defend, only fight to resist the invaders." 

After Chen completed his tour and returned to Taiwan, he authored a book on his experiences in the war titled “I'm Not a Hero: A Taiwanese Fight for Ukraine."