Dufftown man to make seventh trip to Ukrainian front lines to deliver aid
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A MAN from Moray will return to the front lines in Ukraine for the seventh time later this month to deliver vital aid to those caught up in the country’s conflict with Russia.
Dufftown resident Andrew Harrold was one of many people across the region who opened their doors to Ukrainian civilians at the outbreak of the war in February 2022 - taking in a Ukrainian woman.
Her brother-in-law died fighting in the conflict while she was staying in Moray which prompted Andrew to make his first trip to the country in March 2023.
“That’s really what made me make the first move across to Ukraine,” Andrew said.
“Her brother-in-law died in the fighting and she couldn’t go across for the funeral.
“She felt really awful about that so we raised enough money to buy a vehicle and we put his name on it and took it to his battalion over in Ukraine.
“It’s still running over there and I think she’s delighted with that.”
Andrew has made five further trips to the country in little under a year, coming as close as a few hundred metres from Russian troops on the front lines.
He has delivered countless supplies to civilians and leaves the vehicle he makes the 2400 mile trip from Moray in behind for use on the front lines.
Each vehicle is emblazoned with a name that takes inspiration from Moray.
So far, Andrew has left “Spirit of Auchindoun”, “Spirit of Balvenie” and “Spirit of Dufftown” among others on the front lines of the conflict.
“They’re easy to spot with their names on them but it’s a wee bit surreal seeing that,” he said.
“JG Ross have also given me three boxes of butteries to take out this time so that will be something interesting for the folk in Kherson as well.”
Andrew’s trip to Pokrovsk last month proved to be a stark reminder of the ever-present danger trips to deliver aid to Ukraine pose.
“We did have a bit of a close shave last time,” Andrew said.
“A missile hit right next to our hotel. It was quite a big bang but luckily there were no fatalities.
“Our vehicle outside had a slight hole in it and a piece of glass stuck in the tyre but not too far away from that there was an armoured vehicle that had been completely destroyed.
“It’s a residential area with no military value so there was nothing there for them to hit.
“It’s really quite nasty and the only thing it achieved in the end was killing a pheasant.”
Despite the danger, Andrew is determined to continue his trips to Ukraine having built a special connection with the people in the country.
A focus for his latest trip is on delivering children’s toys to keep them occupied if they need to spend time in bomb shelters.
But he is also attempting to source 20 laptops to take to a village near Kherson to help children continue their education despite their circumstances.
Andrew said: “Young people are missing out on their education in Ukraine.
“They’ve missed two years practically so in the future that’s going to be a huge problem.
“You just think, one person is causing so much trouble, you just feel so sorry for them because they just want to return to normality.”
Andrew will also transport a woman from Kherson to the north of the country to reunite with her brother who she hasn’t seen in more than two years after her husband was killed in November.
The vehicle will then be used to evacuate injured Ukrainians from the front lines.
After a manic few days, he will then relax in Kyiv for a few days before heading back home.
He added: “They are really defiant but the saying in Ukraine is that if Ukraine falls then they’ll start picking off other former Soviet countries.”
Andrew will leave for Ukraine on April 23 but says he is still open for donations.
Donations can be made on Andrew’s fundraising page or items can be bought off of his Amazon Wish List.
Items can also be dropped off at the Glassworks coffee shop in Dufftown.
