A brave man determined to make a difference has crossed the border into Ukraine to deliver armoured vehicles and military supplies to resistance fighters in the war-torn country.
Mark Cane, who lives in Stevenage, is a former member of the military and responded to a Facebook post from a Gloucestershire councillor, Alastair Chambers, appealing for help in getting vital supplies into Ukraine.
Mark said: "I spent many years in the military, so I wanted to go and help fight, but my wife wasn't keen on that. When I saw Alastair's post, I begged her to let me help and she agreed."
Two armoured vehicles were filled with military supplies, humanitarian aid for refugees and gifts for orphaned children.
Mark and Alastair drove to Poland as part of a small group and dropped one vehicle off in Warsaw, for resistance fighters to take into Ukraine. They then drove to a refugee centre and orphanage in Poland, to drop off supplies and give presents to the children.
Mark said: "These children had only just left Ukraine and it was so sombre there, but we gave out the gifts and the whole mood changed."
They then drove the second vehicle into Ukraine and delivered it to resistance fighters in Lviv, along with body armour and other supplies.
Mark said: "Along the way there were lots of checkpoints, with Ukrainians looking for Russian agents. Those on the checkpoints had nothing. They were dressed in t-shirts and trainers, so we gave them military boots, torches and flak jackets.
"We dropped off the vehicle and supplies and got a lift back with some Israelis. We had to get snuck out at the border by resistance fighters because we had missed the curfew."
Mark said the trip was "a horrendous journey" which took seven days instead of three, resulting in him losing his job when he returned to the UK, but he is planning another trip within a couple of weeks.
"Resistance fighters give us money to buy armoured vehicles to deliver, so we're filling them with aid," he explained. "We're planning to do this every two to three weeks."
To help fund the next trip, visit gofund.me/562c93ff.
If you run a donation collection centre and need help getting aid to Ukraine, email Mark at tacticalmasada@gmail.com.
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