A ST HELENS man who returned to Ukraine to be with his family has said he has done what any other dad would have done in this situation - and will fight the Russian army "without hesitation".
Ian Umney, an English teacher from Thatto Heath, has become a national news sensation after documenting his brave travels to war-torn Ukraine on TikTok.
Ian, who has lived in Ukraine for six years, was reunited with his wife Nelia and two-year-old son on Tuesday, March 1, after an "emotional" 1,700-mile journey.
Stating that he feels relatively "safe" in Nikopol, a south-eastern Ukrainian city close to Dnipro, Ian has shared an update on his situation and the state of the war on the ground.
In a video posted to TikTok on Wednesday, March 2, Ian said that he has been bomb proofing his home and his "plan of exit" is dependent on linking up with evacuation trains from Dnipro.
Ian said: "At the minute, we have booked a direct train from here to Lviv on the 13th - that's over 10 days away.
"We're waiting to see if there is any more information that we can ascertain on moving.
"But right now, what I'm doing is going back to the flat to tape up the windows and get a few bits and bobs packed away in a bag - so we are ready to go as and when we need it."
Upon his arrival in Nikopol, Ian's brother Garry told the Star that although the city is operating as "normal", there have been frequent air raid sirens going off.
While Ian remains in Ukraine, Garry said that he will help the war effort in"whatever way he can" - such as paying for medical supplies and basic necessities for refugees.
However, if the family are unable to flee the country, Ian has told The Guardian that he will defend Ukraine "without hesitation".
He said: “I’ve got no military experience. Nobody here does. They’re all civilians who are taking up arms. So I’m no different to them. They’re just Ukrainians. I’m just married to one. My heart is here. My blood is half here – my son. I have no second thoughts about picking up a weapon.
“I don’t have experience but I’ve got some knowledge. And I just have the heart and determination to defend Ukraine. So I will fight alongside the Ukrainians just as they would with me.”
Speaking to the PA news agency about the reasons for his journey on Monday, February, 28, Ian said:
"I just feel an overwhelming need to be with my family… the only thing I have to do is go and be with them and make sure they’re safe.”
"People have commented how I’m being selfless and a hero but I’m not, I’m just a husband and a father".
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