The singer in uniform is Taras Topolia he is the lead singer and one of the co-founders of the Ukrainian band Антитіла, (Antytila). Touring overseas when russia invaded Ukraine on the 25th Feb 2022 the group announced that they had put down their musical instruments and would be defending their homeland.
Taras, and fellow band members, became combatant, paramedics of the 130th Battalion of Territorial Defence of Kyiv.
On the 17th August 2022 the band announced their creation and forming of the charitable foundation named the foundation “ANTYTILA”
In 2024 Антитіла toured around the world raising much needed funds to support the battle faced by Ukrainian peoples. To read more about this in detail follow this link
I’ve been quiet lately for a few reasons not least of which is some much-needed time out on the Isle of Wight. For any of you that have never been …VISIT its so calming to the soul, I even got to see a red squirrel in the wild!
I’ve also been quiet because I’ve been trying to avoid all the political and (anti) social unrest. One should never blog when one is incensed by ones fellow man
I am at the very least disappointed in my fellow man, at worst terrifyingly disappointed in some of my fellow countrymen.
While Ukraine and Gaza civilians are bombed the ‘Patriots ‘in my country demanded we reclaim the flag.
Demonstrations were organised around the country with the usual suspects shouting unpleasant ideology against peoples of a different colour than white. I’m always fascinated that they don’t seem to be so offended by the influx of eg, Australians in London. I went to a party in a five bedded house in London once. It was inhabited by 36 of our antipodean cousins.
When I tell the story of exploring the living conditions people find it hilarious. I changed the race once, exactly the same story. The reaction was as simple as the contrast between white and black. Anyway, I digress.
“I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK” echoes around the UK: Suddenly people are ‘patriotically’ flying the Union flag (Flag not Jack, it’s only a Jack on a ship!) or St Georges Cross. Yet I wonder, if we face the same trials that the people of Ukraine are facing right now how many of those demanding their patriotic rights would fight for them as hard, and as varied as Ukrainians do right now,
Every week our communities ask for patriotic citizens who will help in schools, or hospitals, or care homes. Litter picks are organised to help Keep Britian Tidy and are so poorly attended that its embarrassing. There are Volunteer Bureaux and Councils for Voluntary Service etc in nearly every village town and city with volunteer vacancies in desperate need of filling, there are pleas for school governors, charitable trustees or people just to simply check that neighbours are still alive in extremes of weather.
Whilst in Ukraine, Patriotic old ladies make trench candles. Patriotic teenagers weave camouflage netting. Patriotic groups come together to supply firewood or food parcels.
Patriotic individuals who were musicians, ballet dancers opera singers, teachers, shop workers and in nearly every other walk of life put on the Ukrainian uniform and fight Patriotically to get their country back.
Now these are the type of patriots I would love to think would defend my country,
Sadly, whilst I think the Welsh, Scots, and Cornish would be a real thorn in the backside to any invader, I fear those who in those recent demonstrations proudly draped a flag around their shoulders or on their heads declaring that Brits are best (whilst ordering foreign street food and drinking German beer) would probably be a bit pants at defence.
Hell, they can’t even manage to carry their litter to the nearest bin!
A litter picking Red Squirrel -NOT on the Isle of Wight which is predominately litter free!
Under International Humanitarian Law civilian hospitals are supposed to be protected from military attack.
Even military hospitals are offered the most feasible of precautions and protection to minimize damage to infrastructure or injuries to patients and personnel.
Damage at a hospital in Kamianske, Dnipro, Ukraine, after a Russian strike on 29 July 2025. Photograph: Mykola Synelnykov/Reuters
I was minded of this today as I say waiting for a routine medical appointment in a bright modern and relatively quiet hospital.
After I saw my medic there was a wait for blood tests. I had number thirty and number eighteen was called not long after I parked my behind in the designated waiting area. Not everyone was happy about this wait, and were a little vocal over their phone!
Fortunately we got to hear both sides of the conversation as the lady in question had her caller on speaker.
Whilst chatting to my ‘phlebologist’ I regaled her with the tales of my broken arm, my husband needing a pacemaker, and subsequent DVT removal.
I took some nondescript photos and, on returning home, I sought out pictures of Ukrainian hospitals on line.
There’s not a lot more to say really
Medics treat shrapnel wounds on a soldier injured by a grenade dropped from a Russian drone, inside Ukraine’s first underground field hospital. Reinforced with metal structures — nicknamed “barrels” by medics — the facility allows surgeries some 20 feet underground. (Photos by Serhiy Morgunov/For The Washington Post)
It’s been an interesting week. Since announcing my blog and buymeacoffee page I have had some really interesting conversations with people about Ukraine. They break into three main categories: –
1 “Tell me more – tell me more” The genuinely interested about the whole what, why, when, where, who with and, how. These peeps have a genuine wish to know as much as they can about what lead me to where I am now.
Well, it started in 2021 whilst the UK’s press focused on Boris and his crew attending Beano’s in Number ten during the COVID outbreak. Putin was building forces up all-around the borders of Ukraine.
As the world’s leaders watched and issued assurances that Putin had given his word that this was all just an exercise and the troops would all return who soon. I wrote a post of Facebook that basically said “I think shit is about to get real but I really hope I’m wrong”
I watched the russian tanks roll in, the refugees flee, and everyday people change their daily role to that of a defender of their country. It still galls me that, as a world, we sat by and let this happen. We watched as children where kidnapped and relocated to russia to be taught a new history; a new language. Invading armies looted everything including animals from zoos. I could say so much more but if you watch 20 days In Mariupol the story from those who were there speaks far more than my words.
2. “I would help but…” then comes a huge line of excuses as to why people can’t/wont. Now when I hear that, if it is followed by ‘can I get you a drink?’ My reply is always “sure, go to my page and buy me a coffee.”
3. “What’s it got to do with us anyway? We [the UK] have got enough problems of our own to sort out!” This one, I have to admit, causes me just a tad of irritation. The UK and its residents has 99 problems but bombs dropping on our schools, hospitals, cultural buildings and residential areas is not one of them.
I have to make sure I start any reply to this with a slow intake of breath and a silent count to ten. My stock answer is to discuss the hypothesis that if putin wins and keeps going across Europe when does it become ‘something to do with us?’
If the invasion route putin takes goes through Poland, Germany, The Netherlands then France when do ‘we’ decide that it IS time to get involved.
If putin is successful and stops in Ukraine. If he carries on with his efforts to totally destroy the Ukrainian peoples, culture and language do we stand mutely by and allow the genocide of a nation that is the second largest country in Europe?
As I said it’s been an interesting week. I’ve chatted to lots of people and been, in the main, mostly surprised with the interest and support I have received; even if people do think I am slightly nuts for going to a live theatre of war to offer a little help but mostly to bear witness. On my return I can talk about what I have seen, heard, felt, smelt first hand and in doing so I hope I can help the organisations I support even further.
If you would like to know more about what organisations are seeking help in Ukraine click here
I had the opportunity to spend 13 days in Ukraine in May 2025.
I have always said that once Ukraine had won and was free of putins invasion, I wanted to visit and support the people of Ukraine with my tourist pound. Then, suddenly, I was looking at the real possibility to visit Ukraine, an active war zone.
Paul, my husband was the only person who could persuade me that it was a ridiculous idea. So, I talked it over with him. He supported me and we agreed that we would tell no-one else about it until I was back. It’s a tradition in military families not to worry the person at home to prevent my worrying about my friends and family worrying about me and vice versa so the only people that knew that I was going to Ukraine were Paul and my hairdresser…….
Suddenly, on the morning of 19th March 2023 everything changed. Whilst peddling myself to work I came off my Trike. It was 0700hrs and an icy morning. ‘Dobbie the Wonder trike’ hit ice, skidded, hit possibly the worst repaired speed hump in the history of road building, hit the curb and a I went flying. It must have been spectacular as the first thing the driver behind me said was “Shall I call an ambulance?” I’m a tough old bird and thought he was being dramatic until I tried to get up! Along with various bumps and bruises I broke my left humerus just below the ball joint going down to my arm.
Going to a war zone whilst being unable to move ones left arm, let alone pull my own knickers up was probably not the most sensible thing to do so I cancelled the trip and all of a sudden everyone knew I was NOT going to Ukraine!
On 24th February 2022 Putin launched the largest aggression against a country since the outbreak of WWII. Sitting safe and warm in our living room watching the bombs fall, the refugees fleeing, doctors scrabbling to provide even the most basic of medical aid led to our first donation.
Ukraine was desperate for all and any medical equipment so I bought everything I could afford from the internet, packed it up with sanitary wear, nappies, tooth brushes and insulation blankets and dropped the whole lot of at our local distribution centre. I donated money to allow Ukraine to buy bullets, what use are aid packages if the people who need them cannot defend themselves
Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine curtly replied to Bidens offer of an air transport out of the theatre of war with
“The fight is here I need ammunition not a ride!”
Ukrainian border guard Roman Hrybov famously replied to the demand that he and his colleagues surrender Snake Island to the Russian missile cruiser ‘Moskva’ with
“Russian warship. Go Fuck yourself”
I used my social media presence to share news from the Associated Press and citizens of Ukraine.
If you have never seen the 2023 Movie 20 Days in Mariupol, you have missed an opportunity to educate yourself on the reality of 21stC war.
The invasion of Ukraine was already on the horizon and, I decided that should I be facing a short-term terminal illness I would go to Ukraine and do all I could to help the peoples there before my time was up.
In late 2021 I was diagnosed with bowel cancer having the tumour removed on 9th December.
Fortunately it wasn’t terminal, I didn’t even need chemo or radiotherapy so my whole attention turned back to support Ukraine and its peoples. While Ukraine fought against its invaders I fought in other ways. I posted memes, videos and news articles on as many Russian Embassy social media accounts as I could before I got banned from each of them. I started sending embassies and dignitaries postcards in support of Ukraine.
Then UA started to produce postcards that could be purchased, personalised and sent directly from Ukraine to anyone. What fun sending them to trump and putin whose postal addresses are –
Vladimir Putin, 23, Ulitsa Ilyinka, 103132, Moscow, Russia;
Vladimir Putin, 4, Staraya Square, Moscow, 103132 – Russia
email: vladimirputin@economy.gov.ru
Donald Trump 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500
Liz In Ukraine 