'I'm not scared to pick up the gun': Stranded driver leaves Darlington for Ukraine to join fight
A lorry driver who was stranded in County Durham because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is driving back to his home country to take up arms.
Anatoliy Chornyi will travel to the West of Ukraine with a lorry load of humanitarian items, which have been donated by people and businesses in Darlington.
The aid, including medical equipment, warm clothing and water, will be distributed to Ukrainians fighting on the frontline.
Anatoliy Chornyi told ITV News Tyne Tees he "can't wait" to be reunited with his family and said he will sign up to Ukraine's Territorial Defence as soon as he arrives home.
He said: "My family means everything to me and that’s why I’m not scared to pick up the gun and do anything to protect them and I already served in the army when I was younger so I got some training and I will do anything to protect my family.
"They have suffered so much over the last week or so and they’ve seen so much around them. Even just thinking about them hearing the sirens in the sky and having to get up and leave their apartments and go into a shelter, it’s just awful."
Mr Chornyi has benefited from the kindness of people in Langley Moor, County Durham, who gave him access to food, clothing and hot showers last week.
He was then put up in a hotel by Darlington Borough Council.
He added: "I’m so grateful to people over here that are helping Ukraine. It’s so well organised, it’s just amazing to see. Ukrainian people need so much help now. They need humanitarian aid and I’m just so grateful the people of Darlington are helping us."
Fellow Ukrainian, Lena Rusa, who lives in Darlington, has coordinated the response from the community and arranged for Mr Chornyi to deliver a lorry load of aid to a charity in West Ukraine.
The aid will then be distributed to Ukrainians fighting on the frontline for the Territorial Defence force.
Lena Rusa said: "The whole of Europe are helping refugees, but the main thing is for the people who are actually left inside the country, that they are not left behind, because they are the ones who are suffering the most. We’ve got sleeping bags, we’ve got mats for them, we’ve got flasks, we’ve got warm socks."
Other who helped with collecting and loading his lorry said it was a moving experience to be part of the response.
One Ukrainian woman, living in the North East, said: "We collect lots of stuff and people just do this for free, just from their hearts, you know, it’s nice, very nice."
Another Ukrainian woman from Teesside said: "Pharmacies and businesses, small businesses. I am overwhelmed and I don’t know how we’re going to thank all these people, because individually, it’s just not possible, because there’s just hundreds and hundreds of people who are supporting us."
And a local man from Darlington said: "I think it’s been very emotional as well as physical, but a lot of people dropping off have stayed to volunteer and help. We’ve had a lot of people, all different ages, just coming and they just want to play their part and help as much as they can."