An ex-British army serviceman has crossed into war-torn Ukraine after admitting: "I don't know what the f*** I'm doing here!".
Stephen Gartside, 57, from Nottingham, plans to use his military experience with the Royal Signals to help fight Vladimir Putin 's invaders.
He flew into Krakow, Poland, on Saturday and then took a train to Przemysl, before boarding another train to the Ukrainian city of Lviv.
Standing outside Przemysl train station, six miles from the border, he told me: "I haven't told my mum where I am yet. I'm just about to. I think she might freak out.
"I thought about telling her that I'm just driving refugees here, but I might as well tell her the truth now I'm going to be in the paper.
"I told my dad's girlfriend over the phone. She said 'well done', although I didn't tell her I'm going into Ukraine. She thinks I'm just mopping tables in Poland.
"I've told all my mates the truth. They think I'm mad. Some were a bit upset. They didn't want me to go. They said 'don't go' to be honest.
"They're not playing the Russians are they, so they're a bit worried."
Stephen added: "When it all kicked off I thought 'I'm going in'. I want to help end the war and do my little bit.
"I went off and bought my plane ticket and then locked my house up on Friday and asked my mate to look after my dog Floyd. He's a pitbull rottweiler.
"I've left the keys with my mate and told him he can have it all if I don't make it back."
Stephen, who is 6ft 2in, told me he served six years in the army in Germany with the Royal Signals from 1981.
He now owns his own olive oil business in Catalonia, Spain, where he has lived a peaceful existence for the past 15 years.
But he dismissed my suggestion he was travelling to Ukraine for an adventure.
And he dismissed my suggestion he is looking for adventure.
He said: "No, it's definitely not an adventure. If I wanted an adventure I'd go to Alton Towers or something.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm worried. I am a bit afraid. I'm not super confident... I don't think its sunk in yet what I'm doing.
"I've never been to Ukraine before and I've always wanted to go, although not in these circumstances.
"When I get to Ukraine and start hearing little noises and bangs and people filling up Molotovs and walking round with rifles and helmets and body armour, then it might start sinking in.
"It feels quite strange to be going there, but I'm ready to do anything."
He added: "Some people have said to me 'you're British, it's not your problem to do something this', but it is.
"Putin has been brutal in the way he has obliterated Ukrainian cities.
"He has known about the possibility of sanctions for years, so I think the British government needs to do more than what it's doing. Sanctions hurt the Russian public more than Putin.
"I think our government are scared of Putin and they need to be tougher on him, but I don't want to see us or NATO send troops in because it would be World War Three then."
Stephen spoke to me while carrying his clothes and vital supplies - including Tampax to stuff his wounds if he gets shot - in a Royal Mail postbag slung over his shoulder.
It was clear he was trying to play down the reality of what he may face, but also that he was fully aware he could face death.
When I asked him if he's afraid of dying, Stephen, whose dad Colin served in northern Ireland, said: "If you're gonna die, you're gonna die anyway aren't you, there's no point worrying.
"I know I could die, but I've tried not to think about it.
"At the moment my biggest worry is finding somewhere to watch Forest Huddersfield in the FA Cup on Monday night.
"Hopefully I can get a decent bar to watch it in and forget about the war for a couple of hours. Anything else, I'll worry about on Tuesday."
Stephen added: "I'm not sure how long I'll stay out there. I've got a few hundred Euros in my pocket.
"I've packed three or four pairs of socks and woolly things, long johns and plenty of warm clothes and Tampax and gaffer tape in case I get shot, that's about it really.
"If anything does happen I can semi look after myself until help turns up."
Stephen, who said he speaks "French, Spanish, and a little bit of Polish," will initially base himself in Lviv, western Ukraine, but is happy to travel to Kyiv to fight or anywhere else in the country, which is now under siege by Russian troops.
But despite his seemingly easygoing nature, he made it clear he does not advise everyone to follow in his footsteps.
He said: "I think if you've not had any military training you could get in the way a bit.
"I don't what I'm going to be like when bullets start flying, but I think I can get my head round it and see what happens.
"I'll go to Kyiv if they want to send me there. I'm ready to do anything. They can give me a rifle or ask me to do humanitarian work. I'll do it. I don't mind either.
"I've fired all sorts of guns, including rocket launchers, and I can drive a tank.
"I can do quite a few things, as long as I can remember! I used to do morse code, but even though I've forgotten a lot of it, I can still write down the letters.
"I'm sure it'll all come back to me, like riding a bike."
Before saying goodbye Stephen stepped onto the station's platform five and defiantly clenched his fists before boarding the 4.20pm Lviv-bound train emblazoned with the slogan 'Glory to Ukraine'.
He said: "I'm keen to get there now. I'm sure I'll be alright. Keep in touch!".
