A pick-up truck donated to soldiers in Ukraine by a father and son from Wales is now on frontline duty in an area under bombardment from advancing Russian troops.

The truck has since been painted and armour-plated in a workshop run by charity Car4Ukraine and is now being used on the front line.

The Ford Ranger was armour-plated and painted at a workshop before being sent to the front line
The Ford Ranger was armour-plated and painted at a workshop before being sent to the front line (Supplied by Simon Parry)

Eager to contribute further to the war effort against the Russian invasion, Ashley then returned to Lviv at the end of March to drive the vehicle another 600 miles to Donetsk where he handed it to soldiers from Ukraine’s 46th Airmobile Brigade.

It is the first ever vehicle donated under the scheme to be delivered to the front line by the person who donated it.

Decorated with a Red Dragon flag and the message ‘With Love from Wales’, the pick-up truck will be used to transport troops and supplies to the front line.

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Ashley Hawkins (left) returned to Ukraine to finish the journey he started earlier this year (Supplied by Simon Parry)

“It was a great adventure to drive the renovated Ford Ranger all the way across Ukraine, and a huge privilege to meet the soldiers who will use it,” said Ashley.

Ashley was taken through military checkpoints into the frontline area by the soldiers and given a tour of the devastated region which was razed by Russian forces before the Ukrainians forced them back.

“One of the soldiers who met me was a civil lawyer before the Russian invasion,” said Ashley. “He told me he doesn’t know if he will be able to go back to his old life when all of this is over. His only ambition now is to stay alive.

“It’s a desperate situation, particularly as Trump withdraws US support for Ukraine. But the people are incredibly brave and united and determined to fight the Russians for as long as it takes.

“They have seen what has happened in Mariupol and other areas controlled by Russia and the prospect of occupation is absolutely terrifying for them.”

As well as taking the Ford Ranger to the troops, Ashley drove another donated vehicle from the UK to Lviv when he returned to Ukraine in March. He plans to deliver more vehicles in June and July.

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Ukrainian forces escorted Ashley to the front line as he became the first ever person to drive a vehicle they have donated to the front line (Supplied by Simon Parry)

Russian and Ukranian officials met this week, with the first direct peace talks between the two countries in three years taking place while the US President has said he would like to meet with Vladimir Putin.

Ashley and James have already spoken on why they feel it is important to support the country as it tries to resist Russian forces, saying that donating vehicles is a chance for Welsh people to put themselves on the right side of history.

More than 600 pick-up trucks and other vehicles donated in the UK and elsewhere have been provided to frontline troops by Car4Ukraine. People can donate vehicles or contribute towards the cost of buying vehicles at Car4Ukraine.com.