A FORMER States Member has recently delivered essential supplies and vehicles to Ukraine to support casualty evacuation efforts during the Russian invasion.
James Baker delivered a Land Rover to a vehicle workshop in Lviv, a city in the west of the country close to the border with Poland.
It was his third convoy with the Driving Ukraine initiative, which has delivered 81 vehicles since its launch in March last year.
Explaining his decision to get involved, Mr Baker, a former Army Captain, said: “I felt like I had had something to offer with ten years of experience in the military.”
He described the situation in Ukraine as “horrific”, adding: “There are thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians living through unimaginable horrors in sub-zero temperatures and without any functioning infrastructure.
“Earlier this year, I was introduced to an incredible network of volunteers on the ground and was humbled by the stories I was told by the soldiers, the medical teams and the families whose lives have been torn apart by the invasion.”
The ex-police pickup truck that Mr Baker initially set out in broke down halfway into the three-day journey – but he was able to collect another Driving Ukraine vehicle from Poland.
All nine vehicles in the convoy were delivered successfully and are being prepared for service in the workshop.
Describing what it was like on the ground, Mr Baker, who served in the States between 2011 and 2014, said: “The impact of being immersed in a country at war with Russia was profound. It is a sobering reflection.
“However, the resolution of the country and its people is inspirational and unrelenting. And their gratitude for our support is humbling.”
Mr Baker funded his trip to Ukraine himself after his fundraising page was frozen.
He has since set up a new page to collect donations for sourcing, preparing and delivering the vehicles as well as other humanitarian and medical supplies via: gogetfunding.com.
