British Medic Loses Limbs in Ukraine Drone Attack, Remains Positive and Unwavering

British Medic Loses Arm and Leg in Ukraine

A British medic volunteering in Ukraine lost his arm and leg after a suspected Russian drone attack on his van. Eddy, whose surname has not been reported, was evacuating people from the front-line town of Pokrovsk when his vehicle came under attack while he was at the wheel.

The 28-year-old said he could "remember everything" about the strike on January 30th, including three bright flashes around the van and realizing his leg had been "shredded." He tried to drive away, but his left leg wouldn't respond. He could feel his shoulder turning, but not his arm. "At that point I realized it was really bad,” he said.

Eddy, originally from Dorset, had been in Ukraine for two and a half years, having previously worked as a sailor on superyachts. He initially planned to deploy with others from overseas who have supported Ukraine's defense against the full-scale invasion launched by Russia in February 2022.

However, once the brutality of the war became clear, Eddy reconsidered his options. In October 2022, he drove to Ukraine and joined volunteer efforts to support Kyiv as a combat medic.

Despite his injuries, he said he was feeling “positive” and had no regrets due to having a family and goddaughter in Ukraine. "I'm positive to be honest. I've got an amazing support network around me. It's my left arm, my left leg - I'm right-handed."

"Nothing. I've got family here, I've got a goddaughter. I have a life here and if that means it costs me an arm and a leg to have that life, it is what it is."

Fierce Fighting in Pokrovsk

Pokrovsk has seen fierce fighting over the last year, with around 100,000 people fleeing the area in the face of continued Russian bombardment. The mining town is around 60km (37 miles) north-west of the regional capital Donetsk, which Moscow sees as key to taking the entire Donbas region.

British Volunteer Killed in Ukraine

On Monday, it emerged 18-year-old British volunteer James Wilton was killed by a Russian drone just minutes into his first mission inside Ukraine. Mr. Wilton, from Huddersfield, travelled to Ukraine aged 17 and with no prior military experience. He was reportedly given a crash training course by Ukrainian instructors.

But his first mission on Ukraine’s eastern front on July 23rd, 2024 was also to be his last. James and a fellow soldier found themselves being hunted by multiple Russian drones in an open field with no cover to run for.