Highland car mechanic drives solo to Ukrainian front line on mercy mission to deliver Nessie the Nissan and aid
A Highland car mechanic has given a heartfelt account of a solo journey to deliver a vehicle packed with vital supplies to the front line in Ukraine.
Danny Ward, who lives in Kirkhill, drove into the Donetsk region where he saw at first hand the terrifying reality which is now daily life for Ukrainian people in a war zone.
The 46-year-old, who was delivering “Nessie the Nissan” plus humanitarian aid, returned with vivid and abiding memories including a drone attack, a meeting with a bomb maker creating weapons of resistance from salvaged items and his observations of the pride and resilience of Ukrainian people as they endure constant Russian bombardment.
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Danny, who recounts his experiences in a three-part series run by Highland News & Media, undertook the trip into a militarised zone in conjunction with Aid Ukraine UK, a non-profit NGO.
Operated by volunteers, it is one of the few organisations delivering essential supplies directly to the front lines and also rescues pets as well as people.
He has also been helped by the charity, Highlands for Ukraine.
Danny and his brother-in-law spent time sourcing the vehicle - a Nissan X-Trail - requested by Ukrainian soldiers but there was a delay of several days in getting approval due to heavy fighting.
He subsequently discovered a pick-up was destroyed that weekend killing three of the four occupants.
A photograph of the destruction and unbearable thought of someone dying alone and in pain provided further motivation for his mission.
Used his annual leave from his work at Highland Audi in Inverness, he set off to drive it to the 5th Assault Brigade in Kramatorsk.
“Every vehicle supplied by Aid Ukraine gets a name as it is easier to identify and so we gave her the name Nessie - because I was driving all the way from Inverness it just felt the right thing to do,” he said.
“There are troops who have never left the Donbas region, let alone Ukraine, but they have all heard about famous places such as Loch Ness and the Nessie story which is told around the world.
“I will get further updates on what happens to Nessie over time but unfortunately it is inevitable that she will be destroyed.”
Nessie was packed with vital items such as sleeping bags, power banks, water to drop to positions via drones for fighters, food in bags for aid drops, snacks, medicine and bandages, protein nutrition and personal first aid kits.
After driving across Europe, he passed over the border into Ukraine and as he approached Kyiv, he began to feel a sense of a country at war.
“On the main road to Kyiv, you start to see street signs have been taken down, or have been scratched out, and businesses at the side of the road have closed.,” said Danny who had his first unnerving experience of the air raid siren being sounded that night.
Passing through military checkpoints, he finally reached Kramatorsk where the scars of war were evident with destruction all around and the wail of air raid sirens echoing through the city multiple times a day as life continues.
“I think the biggest thing is the resilience of these people, “ he said.
“Their ingenuity and dedication to what they are doing and the commitment to their country is amazing.”
He said their pride was evident by the lack of litter in the streets and he also recalled seeing an elderly lady sweeping her balcony in a heavily-damaged apartment block.
“They are people who have normal lives and jobs,” he said.
“They are people who have been forced into a situation where they have to fight for their freedom and their families.”
Danny, who is married to Latvian-born Agita, and has a stepdaughter, Nanija, and a daughter, Billie, said despite the dangers, his family understood his motivation.
He recalled his dad, a truck driver, proudly undertaking three trips into Bosnia during the war in the 1990s.
“My dad would understand,” he said.
“My family understand. They knew I felt strongly about doing it.
“My wife was fully supportive. If she could, she would have come with me.”
Danny also felt lessons from World Wars I and II had not been learned.
“We have had the VE Day anniversary celebrations here and yet we have a country in Europe right now where people are dying on a daily basis in their heroic efforts to protect their own country,” he said.
“The support they have been given is not enough.”
He is now planning a return trip and has set up an online appeal page to raise £3500 towards another vehicle filled with humanitarian aid.
“I feel a lot more comfortable about going back,” he said.
“I know what I am expecting now.”
Tomorrow: Part one. From the Highlands to Kyiv - Danny Ward embarks on a journey into the unknown at the wheel of Nessie the Nissan.
