Ukraine war: Dorset man fundraising for military equipment

Elliot Svatos sells items he brings back from Ukraine to help the country

A man is raising money to buy night vision goggles for soldiers fighting in the war in Ukraine.

Elliot Svatos, from Dorset, has made 10 trips to the country since Russia's invasion, delivering cars and supplies.

He said he had received a request on behalf of soldiers who said they did not have the equipment they needed.

Mr Svatos said he believed the night scopes would help Ukrainian soldiers move around safely in darkness and would not be used to help kill people.

Volunteers, led by Mr Svatos, initially supplied cars to the Ukrainian police force but they have since switched their focus to helping the military.

'Contentious issue'

He said: "Until the war is won, is there any point in doing anything else? That's the Ukrainian point of view and I tend to agree with that.

"We've all along been helping with humanitarian aid. Every car will have clothes and boots and food that they can use on the front line.

"The night vision goggles was a request by one of our friends in Ukraine for one of the guys who's fighting over there."

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent's Dorset Breakfast show, Mr Svatos, from Corfe Mullen, defended fundraising for military equipment.

"It's a contentious issue for sure but it's also quite a grey issue. If you feed a soldier, a soldier will fight better," he said.

"We've been told the night vision goggles are to allow the soldiers to move around at night without having to use headlights. It makes sense to me. It's saving lives. That's how I justify it in my own mind.

"I would not like to think these items were being used to kill other people."

Mr Svatos has been selling items brought back from Ukraine to help raise funds and is due to make his 11th trip to country on Friday, delivering a 19th car.

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