'Animal rescue mission was like a Terminator film'

A former Royal Marine said the drone warfare he witnessed in eastern Ukraine was "like something out of a Terminator movie".

Paul "Pen" Farthing, from Dovercourt, Essex, rescued 194 animals from the front line in Kramatorsk between April and June.

Russian troops have been advancing towards the city, which is one of Ukraine's last remaining strongholds in the east.

"I'd hate to be a soldier right now," said Farthing, who toured Afghanistan as a commando between 2006 and 2007.

"It sounds incredibly scary to be on the front line and know a drone is hunting you. It's like something out of a Terminator movie. It's crazy."

Farthing made headlines when he returned to Afghanistan in 2021, helping to extract 67 people and about 150 animals.

He racked up more than 15,000 miles (more than 24,000km) during two high-stakes missions to Ukraine, rescuing, dogs, cats and farm animals, and returned to the UK in June.

Working with other volunteers, including vet Angela Stoop, Farthing took the animals to shelters in safer locations ahead of rehoming them.

They had to dodge drones during their latest daring operation – weapons Farthing told the BBC he was "extremely grateful" the Taliban never had.

"It was incredibly different from what I experienced as a Royal Marine back in Afghanistan," he said.

"Sadly, the Ukrainian people are now having to live through this every single day."

Farthing first visited Ukrainian animal shelters in 2022, shortly after Russia launched its invasion.

He said Kramatorsk had changed dramatically since then and "there is not a single road that is safe" today.

"The van I was in was going nothing less than 110mph, and we were the only vehicle on the road," the veteran added.

He thanked supporters of his charity, Nowzad, and appealed for help in funding future efforts, including paying for shelters, animal food and medication.

Reflecting on his team's work, Farthing said: "I feel incredibly proud. It's amazing that people are willing to put themselves on the line like that to come in and support."

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