I'm Smackdab in a Good Old Fashion Cat Fight
1 of the starting time British fighters in Ukraine told yesterday of his ferocious boxing with Russian troops at the Battle of Antonov.
Ex-Army medic Jason Haigh, 34, exchanged gunfire with the Red Army equally information technology sought to seize an airport and was after beaten by guards in terrifying interrogations.
3
3
3
Jason, who served two tours of Iraq, told The Sun: "The Ukrainians fought like lions and I'm proud I was aslope them. What Putin is doing is terrorism. He'due south bombing kids and families for zip. He'due south a state of war criminal."
He flew to Ukraine at the start of final month. He recalled: "When I told my mates they were like, 'What, are you mad?'. I'm a qualified gainsay medic and have done seven years working as a private military contractor. I wanted to go and do some skilful."
He set up home in Kyiv and linked up with foreign fighters ahead of the invasion.
Jason was sleeping when a pal woke him on the morning Putin'southward troops and tanks invaded.
He told The Sun: "The world just blew up. You could hear rockets coming over the buildings.
"In the altitude there were bright lights flashing all over the city from the Russian battery. Information technology was completely surreal."
Jason dashed out of his metropolis centre flat in total trunk armour and carrying an AK-47.
His unit quickly joined a detachment of Ukrainian troops heading to defend Hostomel Aerodrome.
Almost read in The Sun
Jason recalled: "It was a very confusing situation. No one really knew what was going on.
"As we headed into the night I think it'south fair to say I was scared.
"Anyone who goes into that position that isn't scared is a liar.
"When we arrived it was very quiet. Simply all all of a sudden the gates of hell opened upwardly on the states."
A squadron of Russian jets fired down rockets before a armada of assail choppers joined in.
Jason and 10 soldiers from the Georgian Legion took cover in woodland. Jason, who served with the Mercian Regiment, added: "We got very close to getting whacked. I've never experienced firepower like that, I don't think anyone of this generation always has.
"Iraq and Afghanistan was totally different. The Russians are a conventional modernistic army."
Reinforcements then arrived with Stinger missiles to pick off the Russian choppers in a brave show of Ukrainian resistance.
Notwithstanding, Jason and an American pal were later arrested by Ukraine agents looking for Russian saboteurs. He said: "My mate and I had a solar day sack with two walkie talkies and a small pistol.
"We had them for 18-carat reasons such as if the comms network went down just they got suspicious."
As we headed into the dark I retrieve it's fair to say I was scared. Anyone who goes into that position that isn't scared is a liar. When we arrived information technology was very repose. But all of a sudden the gates of hell opened upwardly on us.
Jason Haigh on the Battle of Antonov
They were taken to a security service base and interrogated for three hours. Jason said: "My caput was slammed down by one of the guards.
"A dissimilar guy came in and I could tell by his kit that he was in an elite unit of measurement. He had cable ties and two hoods and I idea 'S***, this is existent'.
"They kept shouting Russian at me but evidently I said I was English. They whacked me effectually viii or nine times. I had quite a bad concussion and was bleeding heavily."
He went on: "They looked at my phone and my messages which was a really scary moment.
"I wasn't scared of dying but I was scared nearly putting my family and friends through the hurting of knowing I was in that state of affairs."
Somewhen, they were released and Jason joined hundreds of thousands on trains to Lviv. He then fled to the Smooth border before getting a train to Warsaw.
From in that location he flew to the UK and arrived dwelling house in Kidderminster last Friday. He said: "I didn't go there to dice. I obviously thought well-nigh information technology just I had a job to do."
The Battle of Antonov — besides known as the Boxing of Hostomel — was amid the start major skirmishes of the war, with Russian assail helicopters and jets aiming to dampen early resistance.
Putin'south forces were successful but at huge price — as Ukrainian forces downed several choppers. Jason said: "The Ukrainian people are heroes. They're all dandy blokes who have the middle of lions and are defending their country."
- SERVING British soldiers may be prosecuted for desertion if they go to Ukraine to fight, Defence Secretarial assistant Ben Wallace said.
Thanks Queen
A UKRAINIAN fighter standing next to a destroyed Russian tank yesterday thanked the Queen for sending weapons.
Britain has been shipping NLAWs (Side by side-generation Light Anti-tank Weapons) to troops.
The squaddie said of the mangled tank: "We hitting it thanks to the gifts from Her Majesty the Queen.
"Give us more toys similar these and at that place will be more than destroyed tanks."
Aid those fleeing conflict with The Sun'southward Ukraine Fund
PICTURES of women and children fleeing the horror of Ukraine's devastated towns and cities accept moved Sunday readers to tears.
Many of you want to assistance the five 1000000 caught in the chaos — and now you lot can, past donating to The Sun'due south Ukraine Fund.
Requite as picayune as £3 or equally much as you can afford and every penny will be donated to the Crimson Cross on the basis helping women, children, the old, the infirm and the wounded.
Donate here to aid The Sun'south fund
Or text to 70141 from UK mobiles
£iii — text Dominicus£three
£5 — text Lord's day£5
£10 — text SUN£10
Texts cost your called donation corporeality (due east.k. £5) +1 standard message (we receive 100%). For total T&Cs visit redcross.org.uk/mobile
The Ukraine Crunch Appeal will support people in areas currently affected and those potentially affected in the future past the crisis.
In the unlikely outcome that the British Red Cross raise more money than tin be reasonably and efficiently spent, any surplus funds volition be used to help them fix for and respond to other humanitarian disasters anywhere in the world.
For more data visit https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/disaster-fund
0 Response to "I'm Smackdab in a Good Old Fashion Cat Fight"
Post a Comment