As one of the bravest young men I've ever had the privilege to speak to, 20-year-old Akula shares a harrowing account of life on the front line in Ukraine, where he volunteered during the early days of the Russian invasion.
"I was scared, cold, hungry and lonely," Akula recalls, his voice still shaking with emotion. "Every day felt like an eternity, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was walking into a nightmare."
The 20-year-old from Wales had always been drawn to the idea of fighting for a cause he believed in, but nothing could have prepared him for the harsh reality of war. With no prior military experience, Akula found himself thrust into a world of unimaginable danger and uncertainty.
"I remember waking up every morning, not knowing if I'd make it through the day," he says, his eyes welling up with tears. "The sounds of gunfire and explosions are forever etched in my mind – it's something that no one should ever have to endure."
As a volunteer soldier, Akula was part of a young and largely inexperienced group of soldiers who were thrust into the fray without adequate training or equipment. The mental toll of this experience is still being felt by many, with Akula struggling to cope with the trauma he witnessed.
"It's like I'm stuck in a never-ending nightmare," he admits. "I find myself reliving the same moments over and over again, wondering what could have been done differently to prevent it."
Akula's story serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of war and the often-overlooked impact on those who fight on the front lines. As one of the bravest young men I've ever had the privilege to speak to, Akula's experience is a poignant testament to the enduring power of courage in the face of overwhelming adversity.
"I want people to know what we went through," he says, his voice firm despite the emotional weight that still bears down on him. "I want them to understand that war isn't just about bravery and sacrifice – it's also about the mental scars that never truly heal."
As I finished speaking with Akula, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of sorrow and respect for this young man who had risked everything to fight for a cause he believed in. His story is a powerful reminder of the human cost of conflict and the enduring impact it can have on those who serve on the front lines.
"I was scared, cold, hungry and lonely," Akula recalls, his voice still shaking with emotion. "Every day felt like an eternity, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was walking into a nightmare."
The 20-year-old from Wales had always been drawn to the idea of fighting for a cause he believed in, but nothing could have prepared him for the harsh reality of war. With no prior military experience, Akula found himself thrust into a world of unimaginable danger and uncertainty.
"I remember waking up every morning, not knowing if I'd make it through the day," he says, his eyes welling up with tears. "The sounds of gunfire and explosions are forever etched in my mind – it's something that no one should ever have to endure."
As a volunteer soldier, Akula was part of a young and largely inexperienced group of soldiers who were thrust into the fray without adequate training or equipment. The mental toll of this experience is still being felt by many, with Akula struggling to cope with the trauma he witnessed.
"It's like I'm stuck in a never-ending nightmare," he admits. "I find myself reliving the same moments over and over again, wondering what could have been done differently to prevent it."
Akula's story serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of war and the often-overlooked impact on those who fight on the front lines. As one of the bravest young men I've ever had the privilege to speak to, Akula's experience is a poignant testament to the enduring power of courage in the face of overwhelming adversity.
"I want people to know what we went through," he says, his voice firm despite the emotional weight that still bears down on him. "I want them to understand that war isn't just about bravery and sacrifice – it's also about the mental scars that never truly heal."
As I finished speaking with Akula, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of sorrow and respect for this young man who had risked everything to fight for a cause he believed in. His story is a powerful reminder of the human cost of conflict and the enduring impact it can have on those who serve on the front lines.