Scots mechanic to return to Ukraine front line

A Scottish mechanic who has spent three months fighting with the Ukrainian Army is preparing to return to the front line.

In March, just weeks after the Russian invasion, Adam Ennis ignored official warnings and headed to the war zone.

He witnessed "atrocities and devastation" and now he wants to return with vital equipment to help Ukraine's war effort.

The Foreign Office warns against travel to Ukraine to fight.

It says that those who do so are putting their lives at risk and they may be prosecuted on their return to the UK.

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Mr Ennis, who left behind his business, a garage in Biggar, South Lanarkshire, told BBC Scotland that he was regularly in dangerous, life-threatening situations in Ukraine.

But he had felt duty-bound to join the war effort, having visited Ukraine and made friends there in the past.

"I just felt I could help," he said. "I pictured myself in their shoes and couldn't imagine anything worse than waking up and somebody is invading your country, destroying your country, killing your friends and family."

Adam Ennis served as a machine gunner

Mr Ennis' experience with the International Legion of Territorial Defence of Ukraine (ILDU) began with 10 days' training at Yavoriv military base near the Polish border.

His rifle skills, earned in the combined cadet force at Merchiston Castle school in Edinburgh, saw him selected for a unit heading to defend Kyiv from advancing Russian troops.

"A bus left that night to take us to Kyiv," Mr Ennis said.

"The next day the base was hit by about 30 missiles. There were 180 dead. Then the bus before us on the way down to Kyiv took contact - and the bus after us, but luckily we didn't."

Ukrainian officials reported that as many as 1,000 foreign fighters had been training at Yavoriv as part of the ILDU.

The Russian Ministry of Defence announced it had destroyed "up to 180 foreign mercenaries and a large consignment of foreign weapons".

It added that Russia would continue attacks on foreign fighters in Ukraine.

Yavoriv military base was targeted by the Russians, killing 180 people just hours after Adam left

Mr Ennis's first deployment was in Irpin, just outside Kyiv. Vladimir Putin's forces managed to enter the town but couldn't push through it.

If they had, Kyiv would have been their next stop, just 13 miles (21km) down the road.

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• Return to Irpin, the town destroyed in the battle for Kyiv

"We were on the front about 100m away from the Russians," said Adam. "There was a square - we were on the side of the square and they were on the opposite side and it was just artillery firefights.

"We went on day missions and there were times we would spend three or four nights and do recon [reconnaissance].

"We saw tanks, we were hit directly. I had quite a few close calls.

"We were in the woods, being hit by all sorts - airburst, 120mm artillery rounds. I remember lying face down and shots hitting the ground all around me."

His unit was living in basements and makeshift bases, constantly moving on to avoid becoming a target.

Russian forces tried to encircle the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the town of Irpin and forces fought to hold them back in Irpin.

Mr Ennis has been home in Biggar for just over a week, to rest. He is spending his time getting prepared to go back, despite the advice of the UK Foreign Office.

Its website warns: "If you travel to Ukraine to fight, or to assist others engaged in the war, your activities may amount to offences under UK legislation and you could be prosecuted on your return to the UK.

"British Nationals fighting in Ukraine have been killed or captured. The risk to life, or of mistreatment by Russian captors, is high, if you choose to travel to Ukraine to fight. Consular support in these circumstances will be very limited."

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has also said it could be counter-productive for anyone other than trained military personnel to go to the war zone.

But Mr Ennis is determined to return, and is raising money to buy a truck which could be used to move casualties from the front line.

"I want to drive a truck over - it is much-needed. I am in the fire team for a group of four medics. We will cover the medics while they go into the front lines and stabilise the injured on the battlefield and once they are stabilised we would put them in the pick-up and get them out of there.

"If I can get one, I will make it roadworthy and a local business will help me armour it and weld it with steel plates.

"I'd also like to get hold of some night vision goggles - we had three pairs between 30 of us. At one point I found myself in the middle of the woods pointing my machine gun into the pitch darkness at 03:00 not knowing what was there.

"Hopefully I can get this equipment and get it back there."

The bottom of a Russian shell which exploded near Adam

His experiences in Ukraine have only served to increase the respect he feels for the Ukrainian people.

"They are inspirational people, how they have united and stood up to a much bigger enemy," he said. "They are warriors and it is a privilege to be around them.

"I feel like I have been given a purpose out there."

He believes that Ukraine is fighting a war for all of Europe and deserves all the help they can find.

He said: "War is not a nice place. I never thought I would see war in my life. I don't think Russia is going to win, but really, nobody wins in war."