British volunteer medic loses arm and leg in Ukraine strike

A British medic who lost his leg and arm in a suspected drone attack while volunteering in Ukraine has told the BBC he feels “lucky” despite his injuries.

Eddy was part of a team evacuating people from the front-line town of Pokrovsk when his van – which was clearly marked as an evacuation vehicle – came under attack while he was at the wheel.

The 28-year-old said he could “remember everything” about the strike on 30 January, including three bright flashes around the van and realising his leg had been “shredded”.

Speaking to the BBC, he said: “My first thought was, I need to keep driving, we’ve been hit.”

Eddy – whose surname the BBC is not reporting – said: “I hit the gas, the car wasn’t going anywhere.

“I tried to put it in gear, my left leg wasn’t responding. I tried turning the wheel and I could feel my shoulder turning but I couldn’t see my arm turning on the wheel.

“At that point I realised it was really bad.”

Eddy said he was grateful for the support he has received from friends, family and peers since the strike and has not become disgruntled or pessimistic despite losing two limbs.

He added: “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.”

Asked whether he has any regrets, Eddy replied: “Nothing.” He continued: “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.”

He said his family have struggled to understand why he chose to volunteer in Ukraine but said his father is due to travel to the country next week to visit him.

Eddy, who is originally from Dorset, has been in Ukraine for two and a half years, having previously worked as a sailor on superyachts.

He originally planned to deploy with others from overseas who have supported Ukraine’s defence against the full-scale invasion launched by Russia in February 2022.

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

When he was injured, Eddy was working with the aid group Base UA, whose field coordinator he credits with saving his life.

In a post on Instagram, the charity accused Russia of shelling humanitarian and civilian organisations in Pokrovsk every day.

Over the last year, Russian forces have gradually expanded the amount of territory they control in eastern Ukraine.

While Ukraine mounted a surprise counter-offensive into Russian territory last summer, its troops have struggle to contain advances in the east.

Russian troops have continued to inch toward Pokrovsk, a mining town which lies around 60km (37 miles) north-west of the regional capital Donetsk, and have targeted major highways and supply routes during their advance.

The settlement is considered a strategically important location for both armies. Before the war, Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad had a combined pre-war population of around 100,000 but most have now fled.