An Update From Zach England In Ukraine

KAWARTHA LAKES-The air raid sirens wail day and night according to Zach England.

“The last few days it’s calmed a bit but there are missile attacks every day and night” England told Kawartha 411 from Ukraine.

England is from Little Britain and left to volunteer on the front lines in Ukraine on March 4th, travelling from Edmonton to Toronto and then on to Ukraine through Poland. Read more about that here: https://www.kawartha411.ca/2022/03/04/little-britain-man-heading-to-the-front-lines-in-ukraine/

“I’m proud to be here doing my part with people from all over the world. Brits,
Scots, American, Latvian, Danish, literally from all over, all here standing up to Russia.” England says “It’s scary sometimes because if were captured they don’t have to take you prisoner and you don’t fall under the Geneva Convention. They will just shoot you or worse. That’s the added risk you take coming here as a volunteer but this is a war zone.”

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24th. Ukrainian officials say deaths and injuries are mounting. Canada, The US, UK, Germany and others have implemented harsh financial sanctions on Russia. Some have provided weapons but so far no other country has officially provided troops or aircraft etc.

When England first arrived in Ukraine he was in Odessa on the front lines, now he says he’s more north with a group of volunteers.

“I was on the front, now I’m an acting combat medic because of my firefighter and medical training. Basically just holding still to see what front the Russians counterattack will be on. I will either be heading to Kyiv or back to Odessa area.”

He says fresh food is hard to come by but there is still lots of canned food left. The day we caught up with him he was having a lunch of tuna with mustard. He buys his own food.

There are still a lot of refugees heading to the border according to England but many others are staying put.