When Britain was on the back foot in World War Two, a madcap officer gathered a courageous bunch of eccentrics to form what would become known as the SAS.

Lieutenant Colonel David Stirling’s outlandish regiment helped turn the tide of the war, conducting sabotage deep behind enemy lines, and their daring scrapes have been serialised in the BBC’s SAS: Rogue Heroes.

Now, as Ukraine faces a similarly ominous Russian advance, it too has called on the services of a unit of mavericks, rebels and misfits.

Led by Lieutenant Colonel Vano Nadiradze, his Rogue Heroes were the first men into Kursk leading the audacious incursion last August that shocked America and paralysed Moscow.

With Russia finally scraping Ukraine from the region this month, Lt Col Nadiradze has a defiant message for the international community.

‘The plan worked, it served its purpose,’ the 55-year-old special forces veteran told the Mail while recuperating in Kyiv. He then pointed to a Russian region south of Kursk which Ukraine this week confirmed it has moved into. ‘Now – keep your eye on Belgorod.’

The grizzled, chain-smoking Georgian has been fighting Moscow’s forces since the 1990s after they twice invaded his country before he joined Ukraine’s fight in 2014.

‘While I am alive and capable of carrying a gun, I will kill Russians,’ he says. ‘It is blood revenge.’

Flying Dutchman, a soldier with the special forces reconnaissance unit operating deep behind enemy lines, Ukraine

Flying Dutchman, a soldier with the special forces reconnaissance unit operating deep behind enemy lines, Ukraine

Pop-Eye, a soldier with the special forces reconnaissance unit operating deep behind enemy lines

Pop-Eye, a soldier with the special forces reconnaissance unit operating deep behind enemy lines

Brad Pitt's Inglourious Basterds character - a US soldier disguised as an Italian actor - is made to speak by a suspicious Nazi officer who wants to test his accent

Brad Pitt’s Inglourious Basterds character – a US soldier disguised as an Italian actor – is made to speak by a suspicious Nazi officer who wants to test his accent

In this famous scene, a simple hand gesture gives away an officer disguised as a Nazi - using three fingers to single 'three', rather than the typical Germanic thumb and two fingers

In this famous scene, a simple hand gesture gives away an officer disguised as a Nazi – using three fingers to single ‘three’, rather than the typical Germanic thumb and two fingers

Indeed, if the world was stunned by the Kursk offensive – the first occupation of Russian territory since World War Two – he promises plenty more to come.

His special forces reconnaissance unit cannot be named and is not at liberty to divulge exactly where it goes. But, suffice to say they are now very familiar with Russian soil.

The unit operates for days at a time in enemy territory, dodging drones and slipping past patrols to identify key military targets, often getting within metres of them before phoning in hits.

They are the first in, paving the way for ground troops, before using unorthodox methods to sneak back through enemy lines undetected to relative safety – ready to go again.

Most of their work cannot be reported, but today they detail some of their most outrageous forays across enemy lines as they call on Europe to step up support so they can keep fighting.

Filling the ranks are two Ukrainians with the call signs Popeye, 43, and the Non-Flying Dutchman, 49, who pulled off an escape from Bakhmut that would have impressed SAS founder David Stirling, who was dubbed the Phantom Major for using his perfect German to slip through lines undetected.

‘These absolute madmen got stranded behind enemy lines for 22 days,’ Lt Col Nadiradze says proudly. ‘Everyone thought them dead. Heavily bombed area, Russians on the offensive.

‘I was supposed to tell their parents they perished, but I held out hope that they might survive.’

Over three weeks after they were lost, the two mavericks walked back onto Ukrainian soil – narrowly avoiding getting shot as they were dressed in Russian uniform.

‘Over these 22 days, they killed six Russians – keep in mind this is in Russian-controlled territory,’ Lt Col Nadiradze said.

‘They took their uniforms and, trying to be discrete, moved from one bombed-out building to another, moving slowly back to the border.

‘In one of the last ones, they stumble into four Russians, sat inside drinking. What do they do? Well, they are wearing Russian uniforms – so they join in.’

While Popeye speaks fluent Russian, Dutch has a heavy Ukrainian accent so, just like the famous scene out of Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, he was forced to remain almost mute as Popeye did the talking.

They managed to fool the Russians before making for the border – even being accompanied part of the way by their new friends. As they parted, however, Dutch, momentarily losing focus, hugged one of the Russians before saying in Ukrainian: ‘Thank you lads!’

‘Popeye put his hand on his grenade, ready to blow them all up – but thankfully they were so drunk they didn’t notice,’ Lt Col Nadiradze said.

Lieutenant Colonel Vano Nadiradze's band of Rogue Heroes were the first men into Kursk leading the audacious incursion last August that shocked America and paralysed Moscow

Nadiradze’s unit cannot be named and is not at liberty to divulge exactly where it goes

Much like in the Tarantino flick, Popeye and Dutchman got away with their act

Much like in the Tarantino flick, Popeye and Dutchman got away with their act

Sergeant Giorgi Partsvania, 35, who lied to his family that he was going to work in Poland before blagging his way to the front line

Sergeant Giorgi Partsvania, 35, who lied to his family that he was going to work in Poland before blagging his way to the front line

Another member of this band of brothers is Sergeant Giorgi Partsvania, 35, who lied to his family that he was going to work in Poland before blagging his way to the front line.

‘My mother wasn’t happy,’ he tells us from a café in Kyiv. ‘She found out when one of my comrades posted a picture of us on operations.’

‘I don’t recruit mummy’s boys,’ his commander said of him. ‘I want bad boys – I know how to work with them.’

Sergeant Partsvania was one of the first men onto Russian soil – taking with him a Georgian flag which he unfurled on entry to Kursk.

‘It’s hard to explain how good it felt – it was like the excitement you feel as a child when someone gives you a big present,’ he said of that moment.

He has taken out suicide drones at near point-blank range with his shotgun, detonated a hidden minefield that would have wiped out over 20 men, and got within 60 metres of one of Russia’s most heavily fortified positions in Kursk before calling in a hit.

Last summer, he was recovering from a blast wound in hospital when he learnt his comrades were going back into Russian territory – so he broke out of the hospital and sped to the border to join them.

After a dressing down from Lt Col Nadiradze, Sergeant Partsvania is now taking his injuries seriously – but he is still determined to get back out and continue the fight.

‘Wait for the surprises,’ he says, grinning. ‘You will see more surprises. The Ukrainians are strong people – and we will win.’

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