British volunteers join the 16,000 international volunteers in Ukraine

‘My family are worried but supportive’: British volunteers join the 16,000 international volunteers in Ukraine to fight Putin’s forces and say ‘hopefully we’ll win’

• 60 British people are estimated to have gone to Ukraine after  Russian invasion 
• Ukrainian International Legion ranks grows to about 20,000, with 16,000 arrived
• Brits spoke of how their families are ‘proud’ but worried for their safety in war

British volunteers have joined the around 16,000 international volunteers in Ukraine to fight Putin’s forces and say ‘hopefully we’ll win’. 

Since a call by president Volodymyr Zelensky, 60 British people are estimated to have gone to Ukraine after the Russian invasion. 

Many of them say their families ‘are worried but supportive’ as the Ukrainian International Legion ranks grow to around 20,000, with more than 16,000 already arrived from 52 countries. 

One of them, Ben Grant, who served in Iraq, flew home from the Middle Eastern country to the UK to see his wife and kids and then went straight from there to join the fight in Ukraine. 

He said: ‘I hadn’t seen them for a while and basically said I’m going to Ukraine. Big shock

‘I feel a bit sorry to them to be fair . I know they were pretty upset but people need me here.’ 

Jax, from northern England, said the ‘sickening’ attacks and Mr Zelensky’s call to people to join Ukraine in the fight motivated him to join up. 

Mr Grant said they really need those with miltiary experience to join and is very keen on that

‘We’re going to see and wait to see what the situation is,’ he said. 

He added that is was up to Ukraine to decide where and how they fight or if they want them to be ‘an independent unit because of their skills’

Jax, from northern England, added: ‘We’re here because of the war crimes being committed.’ 

He added his family ‘was not happy to say the least’ but proud of his efforts.  

Jax, from northern England, said the ‘sickening’ attacks and Mr Zelensky’s call to people to join Ukraine in the fight motivated him to join up

Kruger, who did not give his last name, said ‘you need to be honest’ about ‘the realities of war’

He said: ‘I think you’ve got to be honest with yourself.

‘If you’re out here as a war tourist, this is not the place for you. 

‘The realities of war, if you head out to the front, are going to be pretty overwhelming. 

‘So I think you’ve got to know what you’re potentially looking at getting yourself into.’

One of them, Ben Grant, who served in Iraq, flew home from the Middle Eastern country to the UK to see his wife and kids and then went straight from there to join the fight in Ukraine

Another anonymous volunteer from the UK said: ‘I told all my family – they were obviously worried but supportive.’ 

There have been different messaging by top UK officials on whether trained servicemen and women from the Armed Forces should go to Ukraine. 

Foreign secretary Liz Truss said it was ‘absolutley’ right for British people to join Ukraine in fighting against Russia, while the Foreign Office website advises against travel to Ukraine. 

It states: ‘If you travel to eastern Ukraine to fight, or to assist others engaged in the conflict, your activities may amount to offences against UK terrorism or other legislation and you could be prosecuted on your return to the UK.’ 

But Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, maintained there are ‘better ways to contribute to the security of Ukraine’ than fighting. 

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin also urged people to find ways to support Ukraine from the UK and added that the ‘sound of gunfire’ was not ‘something you want to rush to’.

‘We can all understand that sentiment, and that sentiment needs to be channelled into support for Ukraine.’ 

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