‘Scary, cold, hungry and lonely’: Volunteer soldier shares experience on front line | CNN

British Volunteer Soldier Describes Gruesome Reality of War in Ukraine

For one young British volunteer, joining the fight against Russian forces in Ukraine proved to be a harrowing experience that took a devastating toll on his mental health. Akula, who enlisted at the start of the conflict, described being consumed by fear, cold, hunger, and loneliness as he battled for survival on the front lines.

Akula's harrowing account offers a chilling glimpse into the trauma faced by ordinary citizens caught up in the war in Ukraine. The 25-year-old soldier recounted his experiences to CNN reporter David McKenzie, revealing the emotional toll of witnessing comrades die, struggling with food and water shortages, and facing prolonged periods of isolation.

For Akula, the harsh conditions on the front lines became an almost unbearable reality. With temperatures plummeting and ammunition running low, he found himself forced to navigate treacherous terrain without adequate support or respite. As his mental state began to fray, Akula struggled to cope with the ever-present threat of death that hung over him like a specter.

The trauma of war weighed heavily on Akula's mind as he recounted his time on the front lines, describing feelings of desperation and hopelessness that threatened to overwhelm him at times. Despite the support of fellow soldiers, he found himself increasingly isolated and alone in his struggles, unable to escape the all-consuming fear that gripped him every waking moment.

Akula's experience serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict and the importance of supporting those who put themselves on the front lines to defend their countries.
 
I'm literally freaking out thinking about Akula's story 🤯... I mean, can you imagine having to deal with that kind of fear and loneliness in the middle of a war? It's like, totally insane how his mental health took a hit from all the stuff he went through 💔. And it's so true what he said about struggling with food and water shortages - have you seen the news about the sanctions on Russia? It's like, they're really affecting people's lives over there 🤷‍♂️. Anyway, I think it's super important that we support soldiers like Akula who are risking their lives to protect their countries 💪. We should all be thinking of them and trying to make a difference in some way ❤️.
 
OMG, 1st time I see ppl think joining military in war is like a good idea 🤯, Akula's story just shattered that myth for me 💔. He was literally surviving on hunger & cold, no water, no respite... how r u supposed 2 cope with all that? 😩

I mean, ppl say we need to support our soldiers, but what about their MENTAL HEALTH?! 🤕 War's not just about guns & bombs, it's about the human cost too. We should b supporting them emotionally as much as physically 💖.

And 2 think about Akula's mates who died, he's still dealing with that trauma... 😭. It's time we recognize war's impact on civilians & soldiers alike 🌎. Can't just leave it all behind after the battle's over, gotta make sure they get the help they need 💪
 
🤕 this is just heartbreaking what kind of world do we live in where young people have to go through that? 🌎 no adult should ever have to deal with that level of trauma 25 is way too young to be living like that
 
OMG u cannt even imagine wot its like 2 b in da middle of war 4eva Akula sounds like he went thru hell & back 🤯🔥 his mental health is literally shatterd. food & water shortages, comrades dyin all around him...its a wonder he made it out alive! 🙏 we gotta remember da ones who sacrifice everything 2 defend our freedom. gotta give it 2 Akula 4 sharin his story 💯
 
🤕 I'm so glad Akula is speaking out about his experience in Ukraine, it's really eye-opening to see the reality of war up close like that... I mean, 25 years old fighting and struggling with mental health issues? It's just heartbreaking. 🙏 The fact that he's had to navigate through such harsh conditions without proper support is just awful. We need to be thinking about the human cost of conflict, for sure... supporting those who put themselves in harm's way is super important 💕
 
I cant even imagine being in Akulas shoes. I mean, we're talking about war here, right? The thought of running out of food and water, not knowing when you'll see your family again... it's just too much 🤕😩.

And the emotional toll? Forget about it! It's like they say, "war is hell" for a reason. I think we need to talk more about mental health support for soldiers, especially those who are fighting in places like Ukraine where conditions are so harsh. We can't just expect them to be okay when they're going through all that 😔.

But at the same time, I get why Akula enlisted in the first place - he wanted to help his country and stand up against Russia's aggression. It's not an easy decision, but sometimes you gotta make sacrifices for what you believe in 💪.

I hope Akulas story helps raise awareness about the human cost of war and gets people talking about how we can better support our soldiers 🗣️. We need to be there for them when they get back, too - that's just as important 😊.
 
I don't know if I'd say war is always this bad... I mean, think about all the good that comes from it, right? Like, soldiers are literally fighting for their country, you know? 🤔 But at the same time, it's like, can't they just find another way to resolve conflicts without putting so many lives at risk? 🤷‍♂️ And Akula's story is super sad, but what if he'd never joined up in the first place? Would things have been better for him? 😕 On the other hand, I feel like we should be supporting people like Akula who are willing to put themselves out there for their country... even if it does mean they might go through some tough stuff. 🤝
 
it's just so sad 🤕... think of these young people like Akula, risking their lives for their country, and what do they get? no support, just harsh conditions and endless fear 😩. i drew a diagram to try and illustrate what it must be like:

```
+---------------+
| War zone |
+---------------+
|
| - Food
| - Water
| - Shelter
v
+---------------+ +---------------+
| Fear | Loneliness |
| (constant) | (isolation) |
+---------------+ +---------------+
```
we need to do more to support these soldiers, like providing better care for their mental health and making sure they have the resources they need to stay safe. we can't forget about them when we're talking about war 🤝.
 
🤕 This is so heartbreaking. I can imagine how hard it must've been for Akula, fighting with such limited resources and facing death every day 🥶. His story is a reminder that war doesn't just affect soldiers, but also ordinary people like him who get caught in the middle 💔.

Here's a simple diagram to illustrate his situation:

```
+-----------------------+
| No food, no water |
+-----------------------+
| Fear
| Isolation
| Loneliness
+-----------------------+
| (A) Mental
| (B) Physical
| Health Struggles
+-----------------------+
```

It's crazy how one person can experience so much trauma and still manage to keep going 💪. We need more support for soldiers like Akula, who risk their lives to defend our countries 🙏.

The government needs to do better in providing resources and care for those affected by war 💸. It's not just about sending aid packages, but also creating systems to help people cope with the trauma after it's all over 🤝.

We should also be promoting more awareness about the human cost of conflict, so that we can work together to prevent such situations from happening in the first place 🌎
 
I mean, have you seen the latest fad with these "mental health warriors" 🤯? Everyone's all about sharing their trauma stories on social media like it's a badge of honor 💔. Meanwhile, I'm over here thinking about Akula's story and how real-life soldiers are actually facing way more than just mental health issues out there in the trenches ❄️.

I don't know if I buy into this whole "war is bad for your mind" narrative 🤷‍♂️. I mean, these guys are literally putting their lives on the line every day to protect their countries and people 🇬🇧. It's not all about " survivor's guilt" or whatever 🎉. Sometimes it's just about getting the job done 💪.

And don't even get me started on the whole "mental health support" thing 🤝. I'm sure Akula appreciated having fellow soldiers to talk to, but let's not forget that sometimes you just need to get out of there and live 😂. Easy for me to say, though - I've never actually had to fight in a war 🙅‍♂️.
 
😩 I mean, can you imagine having to deal with all that stress and trauma on top of fighting in a war? 🤯 It's crazy how Akula was stuck with no food or water for so long, and had to navigate through all that harsh terrain without any support 🌄. And the isolation part is just heartbreaking 💔. I think it's super important for us to raise awareness about mental health and the struggles people face during conflicts 💕. It's not just about winning battles, but also about taking care of our own 🤝.
 
OMG u guys I'm literally shaking thinking about this British volunteer soldier Akula 🤕💔 he joined the fight in Ukraine and it's like totally clear why he's struggling with mental health issues 😩 food and water shortages, no proper support... I mean can you even imagine being stuck on the front lines w/ no respite or backup? 🚫😱 and then u gotta deal w/ the trauma of witnessing ur comrades die 💀 it's like a nightmare that never ends... Akula's story is so eye-opening and it's making me think about how we can better support ppl who put themselves in harm's way to defend their countries 🤝💕
 
💔 War is so brutal 🤯 and can take a huge toll on your mental health 🧠💀 Akula's story is super scary 😱, it's like, you're fighting for your country, but also fighting for survival 🚨👊. It's not all heroics and patriotism, there are real people who get hurt and scared 💔😓. We gotta make sure we support them 🤝💕, 'cause it's not just about winning a war, it's about taking care of each other ❤️💖.
 
😞 This is just another example of how war affects not just soldiers, but ordinary people too. I mean, can we say that our government is doing enough to support these volunteers? 🤔 It's like they're expected to just wing it and deal with the consequences on their own. I'm all for national service, but shouldn't we have a better system in place to ensure that these young people are equipped to handle the horrors of war?

And what about mental health support? 🤷‍♂️ It's like our military is just expecting soldiers to tough it out and deal with PTSD on their own. That's not right. We need to do more to provide resources and counseling for those who have served in combat zones.

I'm starting to think that this whole thing is just a symptom of a bigger problem – our society's willingness to send young people off to fight without fully thinking through the consequences. 🤦‍♂️ It's like we're just sending them out into the fray without a plan B, or even an exit strategy. That's not how you win wars, that's how you create more problems than you solve! 💡
 
omg Akula's story is literally heartbreaking!!! 🤕 I'm shaking thinking about all that he went through... 25 years old, fighting in war, struggling with mental health... it's just so sad 😔. And can u even imagine how scary it must've been for him, living like that with no support and food/water running out? 😨 like, my heart is literally breaking thinking about it 💔. we gotta keep supporting our soldiers and those affected by war 🙏. they're the real heroes 💪
 
🤕 It's just so heartbreaking hearing about Akula's experience in Ukraine... I mean, can you even imagine being in his shoes? The fear, the cold, the hunger, it's like, no wonder he was losing his grip on reality over there 🙈. And it's not just him, I'm sure there are countless others who've been through similar traumatic experiences. We gotta make sure we're supporting our soldiers and getting them the help they need after conflicts end... mental health is everything, you know? 💔
 
omg this guy akula is literally going through my worst nightmare!! i mean, can u even imagine being in that situation for months on end? like, no food, no water, freezing cold, and the constant threat of death 🥶😨. i feel so bad for him and his fellow soldiers who have to deal with all that. mental health is literally everything right now 🤯, and it's so important we support those who are putting themselves in harm's way to protect their countries 🙏💕
 
omg this is so sad 🤕, i dont think i could handle being in akulas shoes at all 🙅‍♂️, war is just so brutal 💣 and it's a shame that he had to go through all that trauma alone 😔, it's like, we should be doing more to support these soldiers and their families, you know? 🤗, i feel bad for him that he had to deal with all that fear and loneliness, but at the same time, i'm glad that he's speaking out about it so we can learn from his experience 💡, it's like, we need to be more aware of the impact war has on people's lives 🌎.
 
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