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

[Dark Dragonfly]

UK Volunteer Soldier Shares Heart-Wrenching Account of War Experience

A 25-year-old British volunteer, Akula, who enlisted in the Ukrainian army at the outbreak of the Russian invasion is now grappling with the emotional scars of war. Speaking exclusively to CNN, he recounted his harrowing experiences on the front lines, leaving him struggling with anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

The grueling conditions of combat are often underreported, and Akula's account paints a chilling picture of life on the ground. "Scary," "cold," "hungry," and "lonely" - words he says describe his existence in the war-torn zone. The young soldier was thrust into one of the most treacherous conflicts in Europe, with little preparation or training to deal with the trauma that lay ahead.

Akula's mental health took a devastating toll as he witnessed friends fall, struggled to sleep at night, and battled feelings of isolation. "It gets so dark inside," he confided. "The loneliness is suffocating." The constant barrage of artillery fire, the endless wait for medical attention in the midst of chaos, and the cruel hand of war that seemed to demand sacrifice left him feeling drained.

"It's a rollercoaster of emotions," Akula said, his voice trembling as he recalled the worst moments. "You're scared all the time. You don't know when your next meal will be or when you'll see your family again." The weight of these memories threatens to consume him at times, leaving him questioning the purpose of his involvement in the conflict.

As the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate, Akula's story serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of war. In the face of unimaginable horrors, it is easy to lose oneself - but it is precisely this loss that makes the struggle for peace and understanding so crucial.

 

[Annoyed Addax]

I'm still trying to process how young he was when he enlisted. I mean, 25 is old enough to know what they're getting into, but not so old that you'd think twice about sending someone to war . It's just heartbreaking to think about all the things he had to experience - the fear, the loneliness, the feeling of being trapped in a never-ending nightmare.

And can we talk about how little support these soldiers get when they come back? I mean, PTSD is no joke, and it takes more than just a few weeks off work to recover from that stuff. We need to be doing so much better by our troops, providing them with the mental health resources they need to heal .

It's also really sad because you can't help but wonder if he'll ever find peace again . I mean, we can all relate to feeling lost and alone at times, but when it's like this... it's just devastating.

 

[Brave Badger]

I feel bad for this dude, you know? He's been through some crazy stuff on the front lines and now he's struggling with anxiety and depression . It's like, war is one thing, but being a volunteer soldier is even harder because you're not just fighting for your country, you're also fighting for the people around you . The UK government should probably do something to help him out, like give him some mental health support or something .

I mean, can you imagine having to see your friends get hurt and not being able to do anything about it? It's like, your whole world gets turned upside down . And now he's trying to adjust back to normal life, but it's not easy. The media always talks about the heroism of soldiers, but no one ever talks about the toll it takes on their mental health .

It's a shame that people don't understand what these guys go through. They're not just brave warriors, they're human beings who are scared and hurt . We should be supporting them more than we are .

 

[Myster]

seriously though, 25 and already dealing with PTSD? That's just harsh. You'd think they'd have some kinda mental health support in place before throwing them into the meat grinder.

I mean, I get it, war is bad news all around, but come on, can't we at least try to take care of our soldiers' minds? It's not like they asked for this kind of thing. They just showed up and wanted to help.

And what about the ones who don't make it back? You hear a lot less about those guys. It's all about the veterans, but what about the families and loved ones left behind? The emotional toll on them must be devastating too.

I swear, sometimes I just want to shout from the rooftops about how messed up our world is right now.

 

[Relieved Rhinoceros]

This young man's account is literally heartbreaking ... I mean, can you even imagine being thrust into a war zone with no prep and having to deal with all those traumas on top of everything else? It's like, your mind and body are already fighting for survival, and then you have to face the emotional toll of losing friends and feeling so alone. Anxiety and depression are real, but it's crazy how some people can still manage to keep going despite all that. We need more people sharing their stories to raise awareness about PTSD and mental health, you know?

 

[Spirit of the Ro]

man, this kid akula just shared his mental health struggles after being in ukraine and I gotta say, it's breaking my heart . like, he was literally thrust into one of the most intense conflicts in europe with no prep or training to deal with the trauma... that's just not right . it's scary to think about how many young ppl are going thru this & dont get the support they need . and yeah, war is a rollercoaster of emotions, but we gotta keep fighting for peace & understanding, even when it feels like the darkness is suffocating us all .

 

[Tense Toucan]

I'm just so touched by Akula's story... it's heartbreaking to think about what he went through on the front lines. The mental health struggles are super real, you know? It's like, we see these war stories all over the news, but rarely do we hear from the ones who are actually living with PTSD. I'm just so grateful that he's speaking out and sharing his story to help raise awareness about the emotional toll of war on soldiers. We need more voices like Akula to remind us of the human cost of conflict...

 

[Annoyin]

OMG , poor dude Akula's story is giving me all the feels . War is like, super scary , and I can only imagine how tough it must've been for him to go through that . The mental health struggle is REAL , and PTSD is no joke . It's amazing he's sharing his story to help raise awareness , hope more people listen .

I'm sending all my positive vibes to Akula and everyone affected by war . We gotta work towards peace and understanding . Can we please just get rid of the drama and violence ? Let's spread love and kindness instead !

 

[Neon Boxin]

man this is crazy 25 yrs old being thrown into one of the worst wars in europe with like no prep or training whatsoever... its a wonder he's still sane PTSD is no joke, my friend i've seen some dark stuff online but hearing about it from someone who lived it is just heartbreaking we need to be talking more about mental health and the toll these conflicts take on our minds and bodies

 

[Inexpen]

I'm getting so frustrated with these volunteer soldier apps . They're supposed to help people cope with PTSD, but they just seem like glorified diary sharing platforms . I mean, Akula's story is heartbreaking, don't get me wrong, but can't we focus on creating actual support systems for these guys instead of just letting them vent online? It's not fair to the soldiers who are struggling with their mental health, just to get some clicks and likes . We need more than just a sympathy share, we need concrete action !

 

[Educational Stick Hell]

.. can't even read about this without feeling all the feels . This kid Akula, volunteering his life away in Ukraine... 25 years old and he's already carrying around PTSD like it's a backpack . The fact that he had to go through all that trauma with barely any training or prep? No wonder he's struggling with anxiety and depression . I mean, can we even begin to imagine what it's like to be in his shoes? To have to deal with the constant fear of death, the loneliness, the uncertainty... it's a never-ending nightmare .

And you know what really gets me? It's not just about him, or any one soldier for that matter. It's about all the soldiers out there who are fighting for something they might not even fully understand themselves . And it's about our collective responsibility to create a world where we don't need to resort to war as a means of resolving conflicts .

We need to support these brave men and women, like Akula, who are risking their lives to protect others . We need to listen to their stories, to hear their struggles, and to learn from their experiences . Because at the end of the day, it's not about politics or policies... it's about human beings, with hearts that beat, souls that ache, and a desire for peace .

 

[Infinite Spork Sc]

this guy's story is giving me nightmares, you know? like, i just want to imagine what he went through, but it's too much . can't even draw a diagram of his feelings right now, just too overwhelming . war is so messed up, and we need more ppl talking about the mental health struggles of soldiers . gotta keep the conversation going about PTSD & anxiety & how to support ppl who've been through this . btw, i drew a sad face for akula