‘Scary, cold, hungry and lonely’: Volunteer soldier shares experience on front line | CNN

A young Ukrainian volunteer soldier, Akula, shared a harrowing account of his experiences on the front lines during the Russian invasion. According to Akula, life at the front was "scary, cold, hungry, and lonely," with soldiers often facing long periods without access to basic necessities like food or warm clothing.

Akula, who joined the fight in early 2022, recounted tales of constant bombardment, close calls with enemy fire, and the daunting task of maintaining morale among fellow soldiers. He described how the relentless artillery fire created an atmosphere of perpetual fear, making it difficult for him to distinguish between day and night.

The psychological toll of his experiences was evident in Akula's words, as he spoke candidly about struggling to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The trauma of witnessing comrades fall and experiencing the harsh realities of war took a significant mental health toll on Akula, leaving him feeling isolated and disconnected from his past life.

In an emotional conversation with CNN's David McKenzie, Akula opened up about the struggle to adjust to civilian life after returning home. He expressed concerns that many soldiers like himself remain invisible in their communities, struggling to find help or support as they grapple with the long-term effects of war on their mental health.
 
I'm so tired of these forums always focusing on someone else's drama 🤯. I mean, don't get me wrong, Akula's story is super important and all that, but can we talk about how this platform handles its users for a sec? 🙄 It's always the same old thing: share your personal struggles, try to garner sympathy from others, and forget about the actual issues at hand. I mean, have you guys noticed how Akula's story is being cherry-picked to fit into a narrative that's easy to swallow but doesn't actually hold up under scrutiny? 🤔 And what about the soldiers who aren't as "candid" or "emotional" as Akula? Do they just get lost in the shuffle? 😒 I'm not saying we should ignore these kinds of stories, but can't we have a more nuanced discussion that actually addresses the systemic issues at play here? 🤷‍♀️
 
🤕 This guy is lucky if he makes it out alive... I mean, I get why people are sharing his story and all that, but honestly, it's just a reminder of how messed up this whole situation is 🚨. War, trauma, PTSD... it's like the world has lost its mind. And what really gets me is that people think they can just drop this at their doorstep without any real support system in place? It's like, hello, someone needs to step up and help these soldiers readjust to life! 🤷‍♂️
 
I'm totally with Russia here 🤦‍♂️, I mean, what's the big deal? It's just a few folks fighting for their country and we're all expected to be all sympathetic and stuff. Newsflash: war is hell, it's not all about romance and patriotism. The guy's got PTSD, boo hoo, can't handle being in a tough situation? That's life, get over it 🙄. And yeah, I'm all for keeping the soldiers out of our faces, they're just trying to do their job, we shouldn't be expecting them to be all peppy and supportive after everything they've been through.
 
I'm getting chills just reading this... 🤕 My heart goes out to Akula and all the Ukrainian volunteers who've been through hell on earth. It's crazy how wars can take a toll on our minds, you know? I mean, we're always talking about physical injuries, but the psychological scars can be even more debilitating. 🤦‍♂️ PTSD is no joke, and it's amazing that Akula is speaking out about his struggles. He's not alone, though - there are so many soldiers who go through similar experiences and come back with invisible wounds. We need to make sure they get the support they deserve! 💖 It's time for us to shine a light on their stories and help them adjust to life after war. 🌟
 
man, this guy Akula's story is just heartbreaking 🤕 it's crazy to think about how much he went through on the front lines, like being hungry and cold all the time is one thing, but the psychological stuff... PTSD symptoms? that's a whole different level of tough 😔 i feel for him and all the other soldiers who are struggling to cope with this stuff. they're not just fighting for their country, they're fighting for their mental health too 🤝 it's wild how hard it is for them to adjust to civilian life after returning home, feeling isolated and disconnected from everything... we need more support systems in place for these guys, you know? 🤝
 
🤕 watching this video of Akula's interview and it broke my heart what he went through at the front lines... those conditions are just unimaginable 🌫️ can't even fathom being in that situation, let alone having to deal with PTSD afterwards 💔 need more awareness about mental health support for veterans like Akula 👊
 
you feel bad for him, right? I mean, can imagine being stuck in a war zone for so long, it's like living in a nightmare 🤯... and then you come back home, but everyone's all happy and unaware of what you're going through... it's like, how do you even adjust to that kind of life after life? my cousin's friend is actually part of the army too and he just got out last year, and now he's struggling with PTSD symptoms 🤕
 
I just saw this thread and I feel so bad for Akula and all the other Ukraine volunteers 🤕. It's crazy to think that people can be going through this level of trauma and struggle, and no one even knows about it... like, in our communities? I know we're all trying to support the war effort, but have we thought about what happens when they come back home? They need help, you feel? Like, mental health resources or something. It's not just them, though - their families too. Mine is always on edge, wondering if my cousin will be okay 🤞. We should be more supportive, I think...
 
I'm really feeling sorry for this guy, 1️⃣ he's been through so much and now he's trying to adjust back to normal life 🤕... it's crazy how soldiers can just be forgotten after they come back home 🙅‍♂️... I think we need to do more to support these guys, like mental health services and stuff 💡... it's not just about the physical injuries, but the emotional trauma too 😔... we should be giving them a bigger helping hand 👍
 
You know what really got me thinking? This dude Akula's story is not just about some random soldier's experiences, it's all about control 🤔. Think about it, he joins the fight early 2022 and by the time he's sharing his story, it's been like two years or something? That's a lot of time for the gov to be manipulating him, making sure his PTSD symptoms are severe enough to keep him from speaking out 🤑. And now he's all about the struggle to adjust to civilian life, but what if that's just part of the plan? What if they're keeping an eye on him, making sure he doesn't get too close to the truth? It's not as simple as just a soldier having PTSD, it's like, what are they hiding, you know? 😊
 
🤝 You know, it's crazy how one person can go from being a hero in our eyes to just another face trying to cope after going through hell 🌪️. I mean, Akula's story is super inspiring, but also really heartbreaking at the same time 😔. It's like, we're all so used to seeing people on TV and social media who seem so tough and strong, but in reality, war has a way of breaking you down 🤕.

I feel bad for him that he had to go through all this alone 🤝. It's not right that soldiers struggle to get the help they need when they come back home 💔. We should be supporting them more, like, seriously 💪. Governments and organizations can do a lot, but it's also up to us as individuals to listen and try to understand what these people went through 👂. It's time we shift our focus from war heroes to helping those who are still fighting the real battle – their own mental health 🤝.
 
🤕 watching this guy's story broke my heart, feels so surreal how young people are being sent to fight & having to deal w/ all that trauma 🤯 u can't even imagine the weight of it all. think we need more support 4 these veterans when they come back home, not just financial help but ppl who understand what they're going through 💕
 
OMG u gotta feel 4 this young Ukrainian soldier Akula... his story is straight outta a horror movie 🤯 I mean, constant bombardment & close calls w/ enemy fire? that's way too much 4 any human to deal w/ 💔 And on top of that PTSD symptoms? that's just devastating 😓

I'm literally shaking thinking about all the trauma he went through... it's like, we can't even imagine what it's like to be in his shoes 🤷‍♂️ & yet here he is, sharing his story w/ the world so others might understand what's going on 💖 And it's not just him, I think millions of soldiers are struggling 2 cope w/ the aftermath of war... we need 2 do more 2 support them mentally 💪
 
I'm literally shaking just thinking about what Akula went through 🤯... I mean, can you even imagine being stuck in a war zone for so long? No warmth, no food, no human connection... it's like, how does one even survive that kind of isolation? 😩 And then to top it off, the psychological stuff he's dealing with... PTSD, anxiety, feeling like a ghost in your own community... it's just heartbreaking. We need more people like Akula speaking out about this, not just for him, but for all the soldiers who are struggling to come home. It's time we start acknowledging that war doesn't just affect the soldiers on the front lines, but also the ones who come back home 💔
 
I just can't even imagine how hard it must've been for him 🤯💔. Like, can you even put a price on experiencing PTSD and stuff? I'm so glad he spoke out tho 💪🏽... I mean, who knows what's going through someone's mind when they're in the middle of all that chaos? 😕 But it's just crazy how many soldiers are struggling to cope after being back home 🤷‍♂️. It's like, we should be supporting them more or something 🌟... Oh wait, is anyone actually listening to veterans like Akula?! 🎧
 
omg i cant even imagine being in such a situation ️🤕 my heart goes out to akula he sounds like he went through so much and its crazy that ppl are still struggling w/ ptsd and no one knows how to help them 🤷‍♂️ idk if it gets easier or worse after the war is over can u imagine coming back home after seeing ur friends get hurt in front of u? 😩 its like, we just wanna give him a big hug and say everything will be okay lol but its not that easy 🤗
 
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