Sniper recalls horrors of war scene

A former British army sniper who volunteered in Ukraine has spoken out about atrocities committed by Russian after returning home.

Shane Matthew, who works at Crimsham Farm in Bognor Regis and lives in Chichester, described his time in Ukraine as ‘the most horrendous experience of my life’.

With combat experience in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and beyond, the 34-year-old started out in the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment before leaving, a fully qualified field medic, to try his hand at private military contracting.

Last month he left home to volunteer with Ukrainian forces in their fight against the Russian army. He came home, albeit temporarily, on Saturday night, having trained more than 1,000 Ukrainian volunteers in basic first aid and fundamental soldiering.

Although impressed by the fighting grit of the Ukrainian people, Mr Matthew was horrified by what he saw on the frontlines.

He said: “We were stuck outside Bucha and I was fighting for four days.

“When we managed to get control of the city, we discovered what’s being broadcast on the news at the moment.

“Streets littered with dead bodies. Children with their hands bound and their heads shot. It’s beyond atrocious.”

Determined to document the hardship, Mr Matthew plans to return to Ukraine in a few weeks’ time, taking a camera with him to get the truth out to as many people as possible.

“I want to photograph what’s happened and get it out in the public that war crimes have been committed,” he said.

“I want people to see exactly what’s been going on.”