Irish squad to reunite with their families
SOME members of the IrishUkrainian platoon who left their homes and jobs in Ireland to defend their country against Russian invaders are set for an emotional reunion with their families as they return here over the coming days.
However, their company leader, Co. Laois resident Maxym Savych, will continue to battle Putin’s army along with the regular Ukrainian army that is now involved in fierce fighting in the east of the war-torn country.
Maxym told the Irish Mail on Sunday this weekend: ‘We’re fighting with our company near Kharkiv now. We already carried out many successful operations and are constantly destroying Russian tanks.’
But for his comrade, 51-yearold Co. Louth resident Stanislav Lepko, it marks the end of a brave three-month campaign in which the PayPal employee took up arms to defend his country.
Mr Lepko last night told the MoS that Ukrainian volunteers from abroad are being discharged to their adopted countries.
‘Most of us have finished our mission,’ he said. ‘We’ve been told there’s enough troops in the Ukrainian army and they don’t need the foreigners any more.’ Mr Lepko confirmed that his comrade Vadym Binko, who lives in Co. Laois and has worked as the groundskeeper for Rosenallis GAA club, will also be returning home.
Mr Lepko expects to return to his home in Tallanstown, Co. Louth, this week and reunite with his family, who he said ‘track me well’, and are understandably petrified for his safety.
He told the MoS: ‘Once my wife wakes up in the morning, if she doesn’t see me being active on messenger then her worry grows and she sends me messages or calls to ask what I’m doing. They know where the front lines are, where the toughest battles are going on.
‘It’s hard, especially if I’m not in connection with them, or maybe I say, “We’re here, everything is okay”. They don’t trust me any more with those messages.’ The father-of-two has stormed Russian-controlled villages, stepped up to dangerous driving missions, and come under artillery fire since taking a break from his job with PayPal to join the war effort on February 27.
In recent weeks, Mr Lepko has clocked up thousands of kilometres in a Limerick-registered Mitsubishi Pajero, bought at a knock-down price and sent over by Ukrainians living here.
‘I’m still driving that jeep, thank God, thanks to the Irish owner and the Ukrainian mechanic,’ he added.
‘They don’t need the foreigners any more’