Scary, cold, hungry and lonely': Volunteer soldier shares experience on front line

"War's Unseen Toll: Ukraine Volunteer Describes Harrowing Experience"

The horrors of war weigh heavily on the mind of Akula, a young volunteer soldier who enlisted at the start of Russia's invasion. Now, he's grappling with the devastating effects of combat trauma, a burden he's reluctant to share until now.

Akula recounts the unforgiving conditions he faced on the front lines, where temperatures plummeted and hunger gnawed at his stomach. The isolation was almost palpable, as if the cold had seeped into every pore, leaving him feeling desolate and disconnected from the world.

"It's scary, cold, hungry, and lonely," Akula says, his voice barely above a whisper. "The loneliness is the hardest part to deal with – it's like being trapped in your own mind."

As he shares his experiences, the weight of what he's seen becomes increasingly evident. The sounds of gunfire, the smell of smoke, and the faces of comrades who didn't make it back – these are etched into Akula's memory forever.

"I saw things that no human should ever have to see," he says, his eyes clouding over with emotion. "The trauma has affected my mental health in ways I never thought possible."

For months, Akula fought alongside Ukrainian forces, witnessing the devastating impact of war on civilians and soldiers alike. But as the battle lines shifted, so did the toll it took on his own psyche.

Akula's story serves as a poignant reminder of the unseen consequences of conflict, where the human cost is often overlooked in favor of news headlines and statistics. As he struggles to come to terms with his experience, Akula hopes that by sharing his tale, others might find solace in knowing they're not alone.

"The most important thing I want people to know is that we're all in this together," Akula says, his voice cracking under the strain of his memories. "We need to support each other, not just ourselves."

As Akula's words hang in the air, a sense of solidarity settles over him – a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is always hope for healing and redemption.

Did you know that 70% of veterans experience PTSD symptoms within 6 months of returning home? It's like, we can talk about the stats all day, but it's still super tough to see people struggling with this stuff . Anyway, back to Akula - 75% of Ukrainian soldiers reported feeling lonely and disconnected from others during their deployment . Like, I get it, war is no joke, and it's not easy to share these feelings with anyone . But hey, at least we're raising awareness, right? 45% of veterans who don't seek help will experience long-term mental health issues . We gotta support each other, for real . The US has over $130 billion allocated to veteran support services - that's like, a LOT of money . Let's keep the conversation going and make sure our troops know they've got each other's backs

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this article... it's crazy how little attention we pay to the mental health of soldiers who are fighting on the front lines. Like, we know about PTSD and all that, but honestly, it's like they're expected to just "toughen up" or something . Newsflash: war is traumatic, period. And it's not just the soldier's fault if they can't cope – it's on us as a society for not doing enough to support them after they come back home. We need to start taking this stuff seriously and providing better resources for these guys (and girls) instead of just pretending like everything is fine .

I'm so moved by Akula's story it's heartbreaking to think about the horrors he went through on the front lines. The mental toll of war can be just as devastating as physical injuries, and I think we often forget to acknowledge that. The loneliness and isolation must have been unbearable for him, especially during those cold winter months .

It's amazing that he's willing to share his story now, even if it means facing the trauma head-on . It takes a lot of courage to speak out about the unseen consequences of conflict, and I think we can all learn from Akula's bravery .

As you said, his words are a powerful reminder that we're not alone in this fight . We need to support each other, both soldiers and civilians alike, to get through these dark times . It's time for us to prioritize mental health and well-being, just as much as physical healing .

I'm so grateful that Akula is sharing his story to help raise awareness about the human cost of war . Let's make sure we're listening more than just news headlines and statistics – let's be there for each other .

omg can't even imagine what he went thru on those front lines like how does one even process all that trauma? and I'm not trying to be insensitive or anything but has anyone ever considered just being a volunteer soldier in the first place? just saying. anyway, good on Akula for speaking out and hopefully it brings some much needed attention to the psychological toll of war

Wow this guy's experience sounds so brutal he must be super brave to share it interesting how war affects people differently tho like some people might deal with PTSD while others might just get PTSD symptoms like Akula did

ugh, war is so messed up ukraine is literally still dealing with russia's invasion i remember when it started in 2022 like what was going on then? anyway, akula's story is super sad him being alone in the cold and hungry just sounds so harsh. its crazy how some ppl can experience things that no human should ever have to see and still not get the help they need. hope his words spread awareness tho

omg u can believe this guy went thru like 3 yrs of war & still strugglin w/ mental health i feel bad 4 him, war's really harsh on ppl's minds ur right tho, we need 2 support each other more often

i feel so bad for this guy akula he must've seen some crazy stuff on the battlefield it's not just the physical toll of war but the emotional one too...mental health struggles are real and we need more ppl like him talking about it hopefully his story can help raise awareness and reduce the stigma around mental health issues

this article is so sad ... i mean, can u imagine being stuck in war for months on end? it's like, u see people gettin hurt left & right, but nobody really talks about the mental toll it takes on ppl like akula. his story is a reminder that war doesn't just affect the people fightin, but also those who are supportin them from behind the scenes . i hope more ppl share their stories so we can start to understand the full extent of what's goin on

Omg like I cant even imagine being in such a situation I feel so bad for him he must be going through so much emotional stuff and its crazy how it can affect your mental health after the fact too... umm did anyone know that the new season of "Stranger Things" is coming out? i've been looking forward to it forever! anyway, back to akula's story... like I totally get what he means about feeling lonely and disconnected from the world in such harsh conditions

I mean, can we talk about the state of mental health care for veterans? Like, what's going on with our priorities here? We send these young people off to fight, knowing full well they'll come back with PTSD, but do we have adequate support systems in place? It seems like we're just winging it and expecting everyone to be okay. Meanwhile, folks like Akula are struggling to cope, and we need to step up our game.

And let's not forget about the root causes of this conflict – Russia's aggression, Ukraine's sovereignty, all that jazz. It's not just about individual soldiers like Akula; it's about the larger system that puts them in harm's way. We need to have a real conversation about how we're handling international relations and defense spending. I mean, can we afford to neglect our own veterans while we're over here bickering with Russia?

omg u gotta read this article about this ukrainian volunteer who fought in russia's invasion he's talkin about how the cold and hunger got to him, but it's not just that...it's like his mind got stuck in a war zone too he's sayin how hard it is 2 deal w/ all the trauma & mental health issues and I'm just thinkin like...what about all the ppl who didn't make it back? where's the support for them?

.. can you believe what this kid has been through? I mean, he's literally fought on the front lines, witnessed so many horrors, and now he's struggling to cope with the trauma... it's just heartbreaking . The way he describes the loneliness and isolation, it's like he's describing a nightmare that won't end. And those eyes, man... they're like windows to his soul, showing the weight of everything he's seen .

It's so easy to get caught up in the news headlines, thinking we're all safe on our couches, but this kid is out there, living it, breathing it, and now he's paying the price . I'm just so angry that we can't do more to help him, to support him... it feels like we're just standing by, watching as he struggles to deal with his demons .

But at the same time, I want to scream from the rooftops that this kid is not alone! That there are people out there who care, who can offer a listening ear or a helping hand. We need to be there for him, for all of them, because the truth is, we're all in this together . So let's take a moment to listen, to understand, and to support each other... our sanity (and humanity) depends on it .

I'm so moved by Akula's story . It's heartbreaking to think about what he's gone through on the front lines . The way he describes the isolation and loneliness is so relatable, it's like you can feel the cold creeping in with every word .

I wish more people would talk openly about their experiences with combat trauma . It's not just the physical wounds that are tough to deal with, but the mental health impacts too . Akula's story is a reminder that we all need support, whether it's from our communities or our loved ones .

It's also really important to acknowledge that these stories don't get enough attention in the media . We need more coverage on the human cost of war, not just the headlines and stats . By sharing Akula's story, we can start to break down the stigma around mental health issues and create a sense of solidarity with those who have served .

man this dude Akula is still trying to process everything he saw on the battlefield it's crazy how war can just take hold of you like that. everyone talks about the guns and the bombs but the real toll is on your mental health, you feel? loneliness is like a monster that follows you everywhere, no matter where you go or who you are with. he's doing us all a solid by sharing his story, it might help others who are going through similar things we need to look out for each other during times of crisis, that's the only way we'll ever make progress

This story broke my heart ... I mean, can you imagine going through all that in your 20s? The isolation, the constant fear, the loss of comrades... it's just too much to process. And what really gets me is how we as a society tend to forget about the human cost of war . We see headlines and stats, but we don't see the faces, the voices, the lives forever changed by conflict.

For Akula, it's not just about the trauma he experienced, it's about feeling like an outcast from the world because of it . The loneliness is crushing, and I can only imagine how hard it must be to open up about it now. But I hope his story does inspire people to listen more and offer support more often . We need to remember that we're all in this together, just like Akula said .

man this guy akula's story is like whoa so depressing he went thru hell on earth and still managing to keep it together tho i mean i cant even imagine what he saw and felt but at least hes speaking out about it now its like we should all be supporting each other thru these tough times the things he said about loneliness being the hardest part is so true i feel like im always on my phone or with ppl to break the silence but in his case it was almost like being cut off from humanity

I feel so bad for this guy, he's been through so much & still can't even talk about it. It's like the world just forgets about the little guys who are fighting on the front lines . The mental health toll is real, and we need to be more understanding of people who've experienced trauma

I think we should be thanking these volunteers like Akula for their bravery & service , but also making sure they get the help they need after it's all over . We can't just move on from war without acknowledging the emotional scars that remain

war is soooo brutal it's hard to imagine how someone can survive let alone volunteer to fight but at the same time akula's story is really making me think about how much of an impact this conflict is having on people not just physically but mentally too his experience with loneliness and disconnection sounds like a nightmare i wish he gets the help he needs ASAP because mental health matters so much