A car mechanic from the Scottish Highlands has returned home after a dangerous mission to evacuate more than 50 animals, including a pregnant cow, from the Ukrainian frontline. Danny Ward, who experienced a Russian drone attack during the operation, completed his fourth solo trip to Kramatorsk to deliver a vehicle and humanitarian aid.
Mission Details and Vehicle Donation
Danny drove from Kirkhill, near Inverness, to Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region, delivering a 12-passenger minibus named Gandalf, donated by his employer, John Clark Motor Group. The vehicle, equipped with a wheelchair lift, will be used to evacuate civilians and pets from what he describes as 'one of the most dangerous places on the planet' amid the ongoing war following the Russian invasion in February 2022.
Danny, who is married to Latvian-born Agita and has a stepdaughter, Nanija, and a daughter, Billie, made his first trip to Kramatorsk in spring 2025, delivering a Nissan named Nessie to the 5th Assault Brigade along with humanitarian aid. His second trip involved delivering another Nissan, Buzzer, and he sacrificed last Christmas at home to return to Donetsk with a 4x4 supplied by his employer.
Animal Rescue and Evacuation
On route to Kramatorsk, Danny was asked to help with a highly complicated evacuation and relocation of a family and more than 50 mainly rescue animals to a safer home. The animals included one heavily-pregnant cow, five goats, 12 dogs, 17 cats, many chickens, and one pigeon. After arriving in the city, Danny experienced a disrupted night due to multiple detonations, though local teams said it had been a quiet night.
'The next morning, we unloaded Gandalf for various groups arriving to collect aid,' Danny said. 'I also got to see the animals that were being prepared for evacuation. Looking at these sad creatures, all I wanted to do was to pack every single animal into the van and drive them all home to safety with me.'
Drone Attack and Dangerous Conditions
After loading Gandalf with furniture, personal belongings, building materials, and memories, a wave of fear hit the area. 'The distinct, high-pitched buzz of a Russian FPV drone was right over our heads,' Danny recalled. 'Immediately, small arms fire erupted as local defenders tried to shoot the threat out of the sky. We moved quickly to position our vehicles for a rapid getaway, ultimately deciding to return the next day to finish loading.'
Back at the apartment, Danny was exhausted but sleep was hard to come by due to wailing air raid sirens and the thud of explosions. The mission resumed the next day, and a convoy formed with the slowest vehicle carrying the cow and goats at the front. 'It was a gruelling, hot trip on roads that challenge you at the best of times,' Danny said. 'We pulled over periodically to check on the animals' welfare. The journey felt endless. Finally, in the dead of night, we arrived at the family's new home. Walking around the property and seeing the expressions on their faces change from sheer trepidation to genuine excitement about the future made every single mile worth it.'
Devastation in Kramatorsk
During his time in Kramatorsk, Danny observed immense differences since his last visit at Christmas. 'The scale of devastation was significantly worse,' he said. 'The sheer number of buildings that are now completely uninhabitable is staggering. Looking at these massive concrete structures, literally torn apart and thrown around by Russian explosives, leaves you physically repulsed. You can see people's personal belongings dangling from the wreckage. You can't help but picture the families who were inside them - living in the exact same style of apartment that I was sleeping in. Knowing how small those rooms are, you realise there is nowhere to run to get away from the flying glass, the falling debris, and the blast wave.'
He was astonished to discover the vet clinic was still open, operating out of a shattered building. 'It is precisely this indomitable attitude and unyielding commitment that makes me love this city more every time I visit,' he said. He also praised council workers cutting the grass and keeping the city neat and tidy despite the constant threat of attack. 'They are the unsung heroes, alongside the road crews who repair the asphalt as traffic drives over it, and the workers erecting and maintaining the drone netting over the highways to give drivers that extra sliver of safety.'
Local Innovations and Support
Danny also paid tribute to a team of mechanics and engineers who modify vehicles, fabricate ground drones, and build rescue equipment. 'It was fantastic to see - a real eye-opener into brilliant, homegrown technology, born out of necessity,' he said. They requested heavy-duty 330V generators, heavy-duty chains to protect vehicles against magnetic mines, and battery-operated bikes and scooters for silent travel with reduced visual and thermal signature.
While in Ukraine, Danny also went to Kyiv to deliver redundant technical equipment donated by the University of the Highlands and Islands to contacts of the charity Highlands for Ukraine. He described Ukraine as an amazing country filled with extraordinary people and expressed tangible hope that by the end of August, it would be actively reclaiming its territory and liberating its cities, even if they were currently reduced to piles of rubble.
Danny thanked all his supporters and has set up a JustGiving page. He urged people wanting to help Ukraine with practical donations such as medical supplies, hygiene products, or old laptops and technical equipment to contact Highlands for Ukraine. 'I profoundly hope for a day when I can travel to Kramatorsk simply to visit friends and help rebuild this magnificent place,' he reflected. 'It breaks your heart to witness the human cost of this war - the physical devastation of cities, and the total destruction of lives. The sea of flags in the cemeteries shows you the true price being paid. It isn't financial; it is paid in human life, both young and old, military and civilian.'
