An ambulance service first responder and a street cleaner were among the brave Brits who today volunteered to take up arms and fight against Vladimir Putin in Ukraine.
Most of the volunteers at the Ukrainian Embassy in London had no military experience but said they were willing to lay down their lives for the cause.
While some said they had been in touch with contacts in Ukraine to arrange their journey via messaging service Telegram.
Andy Cosnett, 44, served for six years until 2003 in the Staffordshire Regiment, and is now a first responder - as well as being a boxer and boxing referee.
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He said: “I have no connections with Ukraine but I’m going out there to give them a hand. It’s the right thing to do.”
He is looking to go with pal Martin Crisp, 48, who said: “I’m willing to lose my life.
“There’s nothing for us here and so if you can help people going through what the Ukrainians are, then we should do it.”
Tre Browne, 28, learned about the horrors of the conflict on YouTube.
The street cleaner said: “I watch a lot of YouTube and started seeing some Ukrainian videos.
“I could see how awful it is for them over there now and, to be honest, it just upset me, and I want to go out and help.”
Tre, who was briefly in the Army Cadets, said: “I will fight - no question about it.”
Seb Kirchberger, a 20-year-old from Ealing who is working odd weekend jobs, said: “I guess I just feel guilty sitting at home in my warm bed and then this is happening in the world.
“I’ve been trying to join the British Army since I was 16 but they wouldn’t have me (because of a medical condition).
“I don’t really have anything here other than weekend jobs so I want to go and help.
“I haven’t been watching the news religiously, as it gets a bit depressing, but I just feel guilty sitting at home doing nothing.
“This is happening in the world, right now, so why am I in my bed when I can go and be in the middle of it?
“I view what Putin is doing as a stepping stone to other things. It’s not just a war against Ukraine, it’s a war against other European countries as well.”
Thomas, a 30-year-old Londoner, lived in Ukraine for 17-months before returning to the UK on February 22nd.
He worked there as an English teacher and DJ but now says some of his best friends have taken up arms and is deciding whether to join them.
“Six or seven of my (Ukrainian) friends have weapons and are ready to defend Kiev,” he said.
“So I’m exploring whether I can get back out there to be with them. I have no military experience or training but what do you do in this situation?
“They have been my closest friends for the past 17-months and it’s a great country.”
Godfrey John-Odeika, 58, pulled up in his London black cab and asked where he could sign to fight.
He said: “I came here today to volunteer myself.
“I saw some of the coverage over the weekend and it brought me to tears. I told my wife I was coming here today to do this.”
The London cabby of 13 years added: “I don’t have military experience but I was a police officer back in Nigeria. I will fight.”
