Ukraine war: What does the refugee crisis look like in Ukraine? 'It's like nothing I have ever seen before' says veteran British sniper who arrived in Lviv to find untrained civilian fighters who thought the war 'would be like Call of Duty'

Retired soldier Shane Matthew landed in Poland yesterday and crossed the border into Ukraine this morning to provide medical supplies and support to military forces fighting the Russians.

The 34-year-old, who completed multiple tours of Afghanistan and Iraq and is a fully-trained combat medic, said he was appalled at the humanitarian crisis.

Travelling on a bus from Lviv to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, Shane passed thousands of fleeing civilians – mostly women and children – who had been queuing in freezing conditions to escape the fighting.

Speaking to The News from Ukraine, the retired Lance Corporal, who served with the 2nd Battalion Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment – Portsmouth’s local infantry unit, said: ‘This is like nothing I have ever seen before in my life… This is heartbreaking.

‘We’ve just crossed the border into Ukraine and we’re driving through a refugee holding area.

‘There are literally tens of thousands of refugees here. There’s a queue of 10km of vehicles tailing back. It’s insane.’

Shane, of Chichester, claimed he had also spoken to foreign civilians arriving to fight who thought the war would be like the video game franchise, Call of Duty.

‘They were civilians with no military experience,’ he added. ‘They got out on the ground and they were basically shocked when they were given AK47s when they were anticipating getting M4s (assault rifles). One of them actually said “I thought it was going to be like Call of Duty and it’s not so I’m going”.’

SEE ALSO: Tonnes of cuddly toys from Portsmouth to be delivered to Ukrainian orphans

As previously reported, Shane, of Chichester, is carrying some 60kg of medical supplies that have already been donated to him, which will be used to treat wounded Ukrainians.

He will also be providing training for civilians rising up against Putin’s forces.

The military veteran – who also served six years as a private military contractor – was outraged by Russian president Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine.

‘Russia is trampling on the democratic rights of an entire nation illegally and nobody is trying to stop it,’ he told The News last week.

‘What Russia has done is disgusting. It is beyond reprehensible. Russian people don't want to be involved. The Russian military doesn't know why they’re there.

‘As far as I’m concerned, if you can fight it's your duty to fight. You’re looking at modern day Hitler steam-rolling across Ukraine.’

More than two million people have now fled Ukraine because of the Russian invasion, according to the United Nations (UN).

The UN high commissioner for refugees has called it the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War.

The vast majority of those running from the war have entered Poland, with some 1,204,000 refugees now staying there.

Meanwhile, Britain has come under fire for how it is dealing with the refugee crisis, with the UK having only approved 300 visa applications for Ukrainians fleeing the war.

Yesterday, trade minister and Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt told The News the government must ‘do better’ to speed up the ‘clunky’ visa system.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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