Ukraine war: Aid effort revives Afghanistan war veteran

Ryan Yates said he nearly went to fight in Ukraine

An ex-soldier who has post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has said taking humanitarian aid to Ukraine has given him a new lease of life.

Ryan Yates, 34, from Bolton, who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, has taken £2m worth of supplies to Ukraine since war broke out almost a year ago.

He has led medical aid convoys with ex-comrades who belong to his support group for veterans who have PTSD.

The operation began within days of the first attack by Russian forces.

A single visit has grown into a large scale crowd-funded relief effort which has made 47 trips to the war-ravaged country in eastern Europe with four of his ex-comrades from Afghanistan including his former commanding officer.

The Russian invasion of 24 February 2022 stung a desire to help from the veteran who served in a reconnaissance unit on two tours of Afghanistan and one in Iraq.

"When the war began I wanted to know what I could do and at first a few of us thought about joining the Ukraine Foreign Legion," he said.

"I had second thoughts because although I had been clear of PTSD incidents for eight years I didn't want to have flashback on the front line," added Mr Yates.

The volunteers also help with basic medical training

"Being on the frontline as a soldier is a totally different experience to seeing the effect of this war has on women and children.

"When you see some of the terrible things that have happened you need time to decompress when you come home."

He added: "But it has given me a new lease of life."

Mr Yates has used his military experience to create a streamlined logistical operation ensuring a frictionless passage in and out of the country.

He explained: "A lot of aid was left at the border and I didn't want that to happen."

More than £2m worth of aid has been provided

Mr Yates founded the Veteran's Army in 2021 to help former military personnel transition to civilian life.

One of the latest groups the team has been helping are the civilian volunteers who collect dead bodies off the battlefield.

"The Russians attack them as they pick the bodies - it is horrendous," he said.

Each trip is unique, the team do not whether they will sleep in a depot or deserted Airbnb.

His aid effort caused the end of a relationship and paused his career as a personal trainer and Mr Yates said he was not sure how long the outreach will last.

"Once the money runs out it will have to stop - people have been very generous but we are not like the major NGOs who have more resources."