Search icon

News

08th Mar 2022

Scottish grandad fighting Russians in Ukraine

Charlie Herbert

‘I’ll do anything I can in my power to save Ukraine from Putin’

A grandad from Edinburgh has travelled to Ukraine to fight Russian troops as fighting intensifies in the country.

In a video posted on Facebook, Rob Grady is seen wearing a flak jacket and camouflage gear whilst holding an assault rifle.

With a Ukrainian soldier on either side of him, he says: “My name is Rob. I’m a 61-year-old grandfather from Scotland.

“I’ve travelled to Ukraine to help Ukraine fight the Russians. I’ll do anything I can in my power to save Ukraine from Putin.

“Anybody in the world, please Ukraine. They need everybody to help. Volunteers, please.”

https://www.facebook.com/100219635962100/videos/329660165856664/

In a message posted alongside the clip he wrote: “This was my own free choice. I am a grown man. I’ve went to Ukraine to help the Ukrainian people in a criminal war.

“I chose to come here no one knew I was coming. Now you all know here is the video please share away.”

The father-of-one told the BBC that he had been accepted to join an “international legion” in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

Grady says he has had previous military experience with the Territorial Army.

According to the BBC, more than 100 people from Scotland have volunteered to to fight in Ukraine.

However the Foreign Office has warned against taking action such as this, with its website reading: “If you travel to Ukraine to fight, or to assist others engaged in the conflict, your activities may amount to offences against UK terrorism or other legislation and you could be prosecuted on your return to the UK.”

This seems to go against the words of Foreign Secretary Liz Truss though, who recently said she would “absolutely” support anyone who wanted to go and fight in Ukraine.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace on the other hand said people without military training should not travel to Ukraine, whilst Nicola Sturgeon has warned it could be counter productive for anyone other than trained military personnel to fight in Ukraine.

Related links: