Scots parents return from holiday to find son is at war in Ukraine

The father of a Scottish garage owner who went to fight with the Ukrainian army said the first he knew his son had gone to war was when he didn’t show up at the airport to pick up his parents after the holidays.

Adam Ennis’s staff goes about his business in Biggar, South Lanarkshire, after he took up arms against the invading Russian forces.

The 35-year-old is now embedded with a platoon of 50 men from around the world, defending the streets of kyiv.

His father, Brian, told BBC Scotland it was a shock to find out what he had done.

“It’s kind of hard to say because my wife and I were on vacation. We have a daughter who lives in Thailand and we were there for three months. Adam was supposed to pick us up at the airport.”

“But his friend picked us up instead. His friend wasn’t going to say anything until Adam spoke to us.”

“So we didn’t realize until he called us that night. He was already in the Ukraine at a camp.”

Adam has been to the Ukraine before. His father affectionately describes him as a “tanker” and says that he has driven through most of Europe, including the Eastern European country for which he developed a soft spot.

Adam has been putting himself in harm’s way for the last two weeks to help Ukraine stop the Russian invasion.

He doesn’t have a military background, but Brian said he wasn’t completely inexperienced.

“He’s fit and has some experience with the rifle,” Brian said. “He’s a great shooter. There’s more. He knows how to handle guns.”

“The people who are with him have treated him very well. They all have a lot of experience, and out of 200 people they chose 15 to be in this unit.

“He has a lot of international soldiers around him.”

Brian is very worried about his son, but he is also incredibly proud of him.

“Like any parent, you never want to see a loved one in danger, and that has caused us many anxious nights.

“We are worried, but he has done it for the right reasons. He has not done it for the glory, he is not a fool. He is a sensible person and when he got there he said he had no regrets.”

Adam has told his father that he has seen “horrible things”, but that the spirit, strength and gratitude of the Ukrainian people humble him and make him want to overcome his fear.

Brian said: “People are crying and hugging him when they find out where he’s coming from. He’s in this for the long haul and he said he couldn’t let this evil regime win in Ukraine because it will be Poland and other countries.” following. That was the last call we got from him.”

The local people of Biggar have started fundraising to buy much-needed medical equipment for Ukraine. Adam wants people to get behind the campaign, created by a local woman, Polish immigrant Karolina Lukaska.

Karolina and her employers, the Crown Inn, set up a crowdfunding page to buy bandages and dressings and larger items like defibrillators.

The Ukrainian government created the International Legion for Territorial Defense of Ukraine (ILDU) on February 27 for foreign citizens who want to help the national army.

Officials at the country’s consulate in Edinburgh said their phones had been “ringing off the hook”.

Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon warned that it would be counterproductive for anyone other than trained military personnel to go into the war zone.

And UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace later stressed that the British should not put themselves in harm’s way, saying there were “better ways to contribute to Ukraine’s security.”

The Foreign Office website advises against travel to the area, saying: “If you travel to eastern Ukraine to fight or to assist others involved in the conflict, your activities may constitute offenses against UK terrorism or other legislation and could be prosecuted.” on his return to the UK.

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