Help for Ukrainian aid driver stranded in Germany

Ukrainian refugee Oleh before he set off from Towcester to Lviv in Ukraine

A 4x4 heading to Ukraine to deliver aid that has been stranded in Germany for eight days should be back on the road next week.

Oleh, a Ukrainian refugee living in Towcester, Northamptonshire, had started his journey to Lviv when he broke down on 23 November.

The RAC initially said it could not help as it was a one-way journey, but will now contribute to repairs as it is a humanitarian trip.

Steve Challen, from the Tove Benefice, which organised the donations, said the mission had received offers of help in both the UK and Germany.

The 4x4 vehicle was bought with donations from Ukrainians living in the UK

The 2001 Jeep Cherokee Diesel was purchased by the Ukrainian community in the UK and filled with humanitarian aid to be handed over to the Ukraine military. 

It set off on 23 November but broke down on the autobahn in the Dortmund area of Germany the same evening.

Mr Challen said: "Unfortunately the Jeep is still stranded in Germany, we’ve had to leave the vehicle out there temporarily while it's fixed."

He said the car was taken off the autobahn by the German police and "then the local effort kicked in" as it was moved from a petrol station to a local garage.

The aid donated included more than 1000 batteries, 500 thermal gloves and 500 thermal socks

But there was difficulty getting the car apart to replace a part, Mr Challen told BBC Radio Northampton.

"Time ran out for Oleh," he said.

"He’s coming back to the UK and we’ll get him back out within a week to finish the aid drive.

"There was a Chrysler Jeep specialist in Norfolk who was really helpful, helping us identify where the possible problem was with the vehicle."

Mr Challen said a former mechanic in Towcester had also offered to travel to Germany to help.

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A spokesperson for the RAC said help was initially refused help for the one-way trip "because our policies, like those provided by other companies, are designed around people taking their vehicles abroad and then returning to the UK again".

But they added: "Since finding out the purpose of his trip, we’ll be helping him with the costs he’s incurred as a goodwill gesture, whether the vehicle can be repaired in Germany or not.

"We wish him all the very best for the remainder of his important trip."