Donated Irish vehicles help save lives and clear mines on Ukrainian frontline

Activist (76) who drove 4x4 across Europe fears war is being forgotten

Donated Irish vehicles are being used to help save lives on the Ukrainian front line by transferring injured people and taking away landmines.

The news comes as Irish supporters of Ukrainian sovereignty warn it will be catastrophic if the country is forgotten because of the Middle East crisis.

Campaigners Sandy Blackley from Cork and John Connors from Tipperary said the only thing standing between Ukraine keeping or losing territory to Russia is foreign aid.

“It will be tragic if Ukraine is now forgotten about,” Mr Blackley said.

He and his wife Maggie hosted two Ukrainian mothers and their sons at their Fermoy home for two years.

He was so moved by the plight of Ukrainian families that he decided to help with a humanitarian aid convoy to their war-torn homeland.

Mr Blackley is also involved in Helping Irish Hosts (HIH), a group that liaises between host Irish families and Ukrainian refugees.

Nearly 110,000 refugees, the majority women and children, have arrived in Ireland since the Russian invasion in February 2022.

This week, Mr Blackley delivered a lecture on the aid convoy experience and the importance of Irish humanitarian aid.

“Ukraine is fighting to defend Europe and democracy from Vladimir Putin – that is the reality,” he said.

At 76, he was the oldest driver in an Irish aid convoy that delivered several 4x4s and a minibus to Ukraine last November. The vehicles were donated by Irish families and charities.

They drove nearly 3,000km from Ireland through France, Germany and Poland to Ukraine, and each vehicle was packed with medical and humanitarian supplies.

The Mitsubishi 4x4 driven by Mr Blackley was given to Yuri Melnuk, a 24-year-old Ukrainian farmer who is now working as a volunteer with a special sapper regiment clearing mines and unexploded Russian missiles.

“It’s incredible to think that this 19-year-old Galway 4x4 is now on the frontline in Ukraine, helping sappers to clear mines and missiles so Ukrainian civilians can be protected,” Mr Blackley said.

Ukrainian hospitals and psychological support services have been overwhelmed.

Because of this, the rehabilitation of injured soldiers revolves around them being given a companion dog to care for.

“That is the reality of Putin’s attack on Ukraine, where thousands of young soldiers and civilians have been left with life-changing injuries,” Mr Blackley said.

Author and historian Mr Connors felt compelled to help after hearing survivors’ stories from the siege of Mariupol.

His new book, Mariupol – A City Named Grief and Fear, will be launched tomorrow night in Borrisoleigh Community Centre, Co Tipperary.

“Irish people, in our history, are no strangers to hardship and conflict,” he said. “I think that’s why Irish people are so moved by what is going on in Ukraine.”

Mariupol, a city of 450,000 people, was levelled during the early stages of the Russian invasion.

A Ukrainian division fought for weeks to defend it against overwhelming odds. Their defiance resulted in a three-month siege.

The delay of the Russian advance bought critical time for Ukraine to gather resources and hinder the invaders’ progress.

After the siege, the population of Mariupol had fallen to less than 100,000.

“It is a story of extreme tragedy. A lot of people from Mariupol who came to Ireland were just not able to talk about what happened there,” Mr Connors said.

“Some people have described Mariupol as probably the greatest war crime of the new millennium.

“I got involved when the Ukrainian refugees came to Ireland. I was asked if I could help a couple. That couple just happened to come from Mariupol.”

Mr Connors wrote his book to help the humanitarian effort in Ukraine, with all proceeds going towards the repair of ambulances on the front line.

“Because of the inertia of the free world, if you want to call it that, Ukraine has been left under fierce pressure and Russia is getting an advantage on the front line,” he said.

‘Ukraine is fighting to defend Europe and democracy’ Sandy Blackley