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

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A 20-year-old Ukrainian volunteer soldier, identified only as Akula, recounted his harrowing experiences fighting on the front lines during Russia's invasion of Ukraine in an exclusive interview with CNN.

Akula's journey began when he decided to join the fight at the outbreak of the war, now he is grappling with the severe psychological toll it has taken. The young soldier described being surrounded by fear, cold, hunger, and isolation – a far cry from his life before the conflict escalated.

The trauma Akula witnessed on a daily basis took a devastating toll on his mental health. Sharing his story with CNN journalist David McKenzie, he spoke candidly about struggling to cope with the psychological aftereffects of war.

Akula's harrowing account paints a stark picture of what it means to be a young soldier caught in the crossfire of modern conflict, where the lines between life and death are constantly blurred, leaving survivors grappling with unimaginable trauma.
 
OMG you guys 🤯 I cant even imagine being in his shoes Akula's story is giving me chills... I mean we talk about PTSD but to actually experience it like that must be so overwhelming 😓 I'm glad he's speaking out tho, its crazy how many ppl suffer from mental health issues after wars and stuff... hope hes gettin the help hes needin 💕
 
😕 I'm so sad for Akula and all the other volunteers like him who have been through this... I mean, can you even imagine being surrounded by fear, cold, hunger, and isolation on a daily basis? 😓 It's crazy to think he was just 20 when he joined the fight! 🤯 And now, struggling with PTSD after witnessing so much trauma... it's heartbreaking. We need to do more to support these young people who are fighting for their country. They're not just soldiers, they're human beings too, right? 🤝🏼💔
 
.. can't believe how tough it is for these young guys fighting in Ukraine 🤕. I mean, 20 yrs old, just wanna join the fight, doesn't know what's gonna happen next. He's talking about fear, cold, hunger, isolation... sounds like a nightmare, you know? And now he's struggling with his mental health, it's just not right 💔. These kids are growing up too fast, seeing things that no one should ever have to see. It's like, the media's always showing us the worst parts of war, but nobody talks about the aftermath... how do they even cope with all this trauma? 🤯
 
OH MY GOSH, THIS STORY IS SO HEARTBREAKING!!! I cant even imagine what its like to go through that kind of thing, knowing you were just 20 years old when this all started. Its crazy how quickly life can change and people's priorities shift from partying with friends to fighting for their country. the pics of those soldiers are haunting me right now, i keep thinking about the fact that they're not even really soldiers yet theyre already facing this kind of trauma its a tough world out there and we need more ppl like Akula who are willing to put themselves on the line for others 🤕💔
 
omg this kid is like 20 years old but he's already living his worst nightmare 🤯 Russia's invasion is like something out of a horror movie, no wonder the young soldier is struggling to cope 😔 it's not just the physical toll of war, it's the mental and emotional scars that never heal. we need to be supporting these young soldiers more, like they're fighting for their country but also for their own sanity 🤝
 
I don’t usually comment but I feel so bad for this kid Akula, he's only 20 years old! He's been through so much already and it's heartbreaking to think about what he's had to experience. The psychological toll of war is real and it's not something you can just "get over" or "toughen up". I think we need more awareness about the mental health of soldiers and veterans, they're often overlooked after they leave the battlefield.

It's crazy to think that this kid was once living his life like everyone else, and then suddenly he's facing death, hunger, cold... it's just unimaginable. And to make matters worse, he's struggling to cope with all these feelings of fear, anxiety, and isolation. I wish there were more resources available for young soldiers like Akula to deal with the trauma they've experienced.

I don’t know how many times we can say "this isn't okay" before it sinks in, but we need to keep saying it until we get some real change.
 
🌟 I'm just so moved by Akula's story 🤕... he's literally risking his life for others & now he's paying the price emotionally 💔. 20 years old should be about exploring dreams, not living a war zone 😩. Mental health is EVERYTHING & we gotta make sure those who come back are getting the support they need 💖. We can't even begin to imagine what it's like to witness such trauma daily... just makes me wanna do more to help 🌈
 
IT'S JUST SO HEARTBREAKING TO THINK ABOUT THIS YOUNG MAN AKULA GOING THROUGH ALL THAT AND NOT EVEN BEING ALLOWED TO SHOW HIS FACE 😔🙏. IMAGINE HAVING TO DEAL WITH FEAR, COLD, HUNGER, AND ISOLATION EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR months on end?! IT'S NO WONDER HE'S GRAPPLING WITH THE PSYCHOLOGICAL TOLL OF WAR 🤯💔. WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE HIM COMING FORWARD TO SHARE THEIR STORIES SO WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH 💪🌟.
 
I'm not buying all this fuss around soldiers like Akula... I mean, 20 years old is basically still young, right? 🤔 I guess it's understandable that they'd be scared and stuff, but are we really treating these kids like they're fragile little eggs who can't handle a few bullets? 🔫 I'm not saying they don't deserve support or anything, but come on, let's get real here... war is brutal, yeah, but so are our streets, our schools, our lives. It's all just part of the human experience, you know? 🌎 And what's with this "trauma" business? We call it PTSD, we have therapy, we move on... I'm not saying it's easy, but let's stop glorifying these kids' stories and start supporting them in a more practical way. 💸
 
I'm still trying to process how young people like Akula are being asked to put their lives on the line for a cause they believe in. 20 years old is way too young to be going through what he's experiencing 🤕. It's heartbreaking that he's struggling with PTSD and I hope he gets the support he needs ASAP 💔. We need more awareness about the effects of war on our mental health and how we can better protect these young soldiers who are putting everything on the line for their countries ❤️.
 
🤕💔😱 Akula's story is so sad 🙏... I can only imagine how scary it must've been for him to be surrounded by all that fear & stuff 🌪️😷 his bravery is super admirable 💪 but the mental toll he took 🤯 is heartbreaking 😔 we gotta take care of our soldiers & make sure they get the help they need ❤️💕👍
 
OMG, this kid is literally living through hell 🤯 I don't think we can even imagine what it's like to be in his shoes, surrounded by all that chaos and violence 24/7 😩 It's insane how some people still choose to put themselves in harm's way to fight for a cause they believe in 💪. The fact that he's struggling with PTSD is just heartbreaking 🤕 We need more support systems in place for these kinds of soldiers, ASAP 💕
 
War is brutal 💔, leaves scars that never fully heal. These soldiers are our future heroes, fighting for their country 🇺🇦, but at what cost? Mental health matters, we need to support them 🤝💕
 
I'm so saddened by this story 🤕... I mean, can you even imagine being 20 and already seeing so much horror on a daily basis? It's like, his whole world got turned upside down in an instant. And it makes me think about how we often romanticize war and the bravery of soldiers, but at what cost? 🤝 The mental health struggles he's facing are super real and not something you can just "get over" or "toughen up" for. We need to be supporting these young people more, not just with words, but with actual resources and help... they're the ones who are going to carry the scars of this conflict for years to come 😔
 
🤕 I'm really worried about these young soldiers like Akula, they're only 20 but already going through so much trauma 🤯. The mental health struggles they face after coming back home are gonna be a huge issue in the future, we need to make sure they get the support they need ASAP 💡. It's crazy to think they went from having a normal life to living in constant fear and uncertainty, it's just heartbreaking 😔.
 
OMG 🤯 just watched this interview with Akula on CNN and I'm literally shook 😩. Can you even imagine having to deal with all that fear, cold, hunger, and isolation? It's like, totally not something we deal with in school, you know? 🤦‍♀️ Like, we have our exams and essays, but that's it 😂. I feel so bad for Akula and everyone who has to go through this kind of trauma. We need to do more to support people like him 💕. School mental health should be on the priority list too tbh 🤔.
 
I'm just so worried about these kids getting drafted into war 🤕. I mean, I know they want to help their country, but at what cost? The mental health issues alone are heartbreaking - it's like, one day they're fighting for their country, the next they're struggling with PTSD and depression 💔. And what about their families? The ones who will be left behind, worrying sick about their loved one's safety? It's just not right 🤷‍♀️. We need to make sure we're supporting these young soldiers and helping them cope with what they've been through, rather than sending them into harm's way without a plan 💪.
 
OMG u guys 🤯 I'm literally shook by Akula's story 😩 it's like, I can only imagine how hard it must be to see all that in real life... but at the same time, I think his bravery & selflessness are totally inspiring 💖 I mean, who joins a war as soon as it starts? 🤔 That takes major guts! And honestly, it's kinda crazy how he's still alive after everything he's been through 😲 we need more people like Akula who are willing to put themselves in harm's way for others. It's not easy, but I think his story can be a beacon of hope for all the soldiers & civilians going through similar struggles 💪 let's just hope they get the support & care they need 🤗
 
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