A brave British dad will be spending Christmas on the front line in Ukraine after travelling to the war-torn country for the 10th time.
Dad-of-four Pete Masters, 55, from Hereford, has taken nearly £40,000 worth of medical aid and supplies to Ukraine since the illegal Russian invasion began in February 2022.
Now Mr Masters, a cafe owner from Hereford, is working with a local church in the far east of Ukraine delivering food and aid to local people caught in the cross hairs of the brutal conflict.
As well as delivery aid, Mr Masters and his friend the chaplain Alexander help evacuate civilians from villages that have come under fire.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Mr Masters, who has a JustGiving page, said spending time away from loved ones at Christmas would be hard but he couldn’t let down his friends in Ukraine.
“It’s a mix of emotions, I have been scared, apprenhisive and worried, but also looking forward to getting back out here,” he said. “I carried a 50kg bag with me all the way here packed with donations.
“I think my family are almost numb to my travels now, I’ve been here so many times, some people have told me it’s ridiculous what I am doing, but these people in Ukraine are my friends and need my help, so it’s not ridiculous to me.
“I either keep doing what I am doing, or I just turn my back and never speak to these people again and pretend this war isn’t happening. I’d rather be here and take the risk.”
Mr Masters, who arrived in Ukraine this week, added it was clear the front line was more active now as Putin’s forces stage a fierce winter assault.
He added: “We went to visit our friends and it was quite distressing to see how many of the bunkers where I saw soldiers had been hit and civilian houses have been destroyed. The landscapes has changed drastically. Russia are smashing everything.
“There has has been taken a lot of destruction, it’s safe to say I’m in the thick of it here.”
Back home in Hereford 50p of every sold at his cafe, The Sacred Brew, is used to help buy aid and fund travel. Mr Masters is also working to set up a charity called Frontline Angels to help bring in more donations.
The Foreign Office advise against all travel to most parts Ukraine, but Mr Masters is not afraid to face the obvious dangers of Russian rocket attacks and drones.
On Christmas Day he plans to organise a football match with local Ukrainian soldiers using a ball donated by supporters of Millwall Football Club.
He said: “I have got a football and try and have a little knock about with the troops, but it is that hectic at the moment we don’t know.”
