Ex-Royal Artillery gunner will jet off to join Lad's Army fighting against Putin's forces in Ukraine

A former Royal Artillery gunner has decided to leave his wife in the UK and travel to Ukraine to join up with the Lad’s Army fighting against Vladimir Putin’s forces.

Harvey Hunt, 50, will fly from Bristol to Rzeszów, in Poland, tomorrow and attempt to link up with fellow fighters after saying he was ‘not doing much with life’. 

He said he has been told to head to the border via the E40 – a pan-European road – and present himself as a former serviceman.

Mr Hunt, who said he served in the Royal Artillery as a gunner, will then make his way to a petrol station in the Ukrainian city of Novoiavorivsk, which is on the road to Lviv.

There, he claimed, he will catch a regular shuttle of buses or cars that will take him towards the fighting.

His wife, Georgia Hunt, 29, said she is worried, but backs her husband’s plans as he is ‘doing it for the right reasons’. 

The ex-lorry driver from Minehead, in Somerset, said: ‘I’ve got military training, I’m not doing much with my life – I want to help.

‘I’m sitting watching the news, and I’m thinking “I can get off my a** and help them”. I can hold a gun and shoot it.

‘I think [the situation] is disgusting. I think Russia should b***** off and leave all the kids and women.’

In recent days, the Government has provided mixed messages to UK residents who have shown an interest in joining the fighting in Ukraine. 

Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, previously said she backs anyone who wants to travel to the country and take up arms.

But Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, has since countered her comments and declared only those with combat experience should go.

Father of two Mr Hunt said he signed up to the Army 34 years ago and served for more than two years but did not see any fighting.

Mr Hunt said he was determined to go to Ukraine and fight the Russians despite not knowing where to travel once he arrives or where to get hold of weaponry

But he is determined to go despite not knowing entirely where to travel once he arrives in Ukraine or where to get weapons from.  

Wife Mrs Hunt, a charity shop volunteer, said: ‘It’s scary but I understand why he wants to go, and every part of me supports him in that.

‘All the kids and women and people that are dying – it’s quite upsetting. If he can help in some sort of way, I would support him.’

Downing Street said earlier this week that the travel advice remains not to travel to Ukraine.

But a number of UK residents – both veterans and volunteers without military training – have already pledged to help take on Russia.