Volunteers make their 11th trip to Ukraine

GRATEFUL CHARITY MAKES ANDREAS AN AMBASSADOR

- ANDY PHILLIPS

THE latest aid trip co-ordinated by two Plymouth volunteers providing supplies to Ukraine saw them personally hand over the keys to a 4x4 and caravan to a top field general in Kyiv.

Andreas Evangelou and Maksym Litvinov have between them completed 11 aid missions to Ukraine, the latest delivering more than two tonnes of supplies.

With Andreas now the UK ambassador for Ukrainian charity Nadiya which is translated as Hope their efforts have become so recognised that they were given a personal meeting with Field General Yaksuk on their most recent trip.

As well as offering the space for tonnes of donations collected between Plymouth and Hereford where Andreas has a home - the caravans have become hugely useful forward field bases on the frontline in Ukraine, as they are taken over camouflaged with paintwork.

They also were sent the personal thanks of General Budanov dubbed Ukraine's spy-master - as the caravans have become vital bases for launching drones on the frontline.

The scale of the effort has meant that Field General Yatsuk thought it was from the whole of the UK.

"Meeting this guy was a privilege," explained Andreas. "I delivered the car and caravan personally to him.

"He was really happy and even gave me a chevron off his uniform as I had joked about wanting one as a souvenir.

"General Yatsuk signed a flag for us, and also we were given a flag from General Budanov." He added: "I think it's the fact that I've been there 11 times, and I am not Ukrainian, and I am not a charity and that most of these trips are partdonations and part-self-funded.