Ukrainian musicians in Seoul orchestra swap instruments for weapons and head home

 Contrabass player Ziuzkin Dmytro, 47, in front of a camouflaged military vehicle in Ukraine. He recently returned home from Seoul, where he was working as a member of the Seoul Pops Orchestra

Ukrainian musicians in Seoul orchestra swap instruments for weapons and head home

Contrabass player Ziuzkin Dmytro, violist Lev Keler, and trumpet player Matviyenko Konstyantyn of the Seoul Pops Orchestra have headed back to join the fight

‘This is what patriotism is all about,’ says the orchestra’s conductor, after one of them sent a picture of himself, rifle in hand, to former colleagues

Three Ukrainian musicians working for an orchestra in South Korea have returned to their homeland to fight the Russian invasion, it has emerged.

Contrabass player Ziuzkin Dmytro, 47, sent a picture of himself back in Ukraine, rifle in hand and dressed in military uniform, to his former colleagues on Tuesday, said Ha Sung-ho, conductor of the Seoul Pops Orchestra.

His fellow musicians, violist Lev Keler, 51, and trumpet player Matviyenko Konstyantyn, 52, are also understood to have returned home to take up arms.