Scottish mechanic fighting near Kyiv labelled hero by Ukraine

Adam Ennis left his garage business in March to join the international legion with only basic training from a cadet scheme at school.

Now, the 35-year-old has been featured in a film and exhibition in Kyiv.

Ennis, from Biggar in South Lanarkshire, is one of 10 soldiers to feature in the photo exhibition Warriors of the World - Warriors of Light and the documentary International Legion at the Bouquet Kyiv Stage Festival.

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His father told BBC Scotland that he found out his son was being hailed as a hero when someone tagged him on Facebook.

Brian said: “It was a complete surprise to see his face on this big poster in Ukraine."

He continued: “A wee boy from Symington, working in Biggar and here he is being recognised in such a short period of time for his efforts.

"They call him a hero but, as he says in the documentary, he recognises the true heroes are the people of Ukraine."

Adam ignored official warnings to head to Ukraine just weeks after Russia invaded.

Scots have been warned not to travel to Ukraine

The Foreign Office has warned people about travelling to the country to fight while Nicola Sturgeon has said it would be counter-productive for anyone other than trained military personnel to go to the warzone.

In the documentary, Adam talks about the scenes he witnessed during his first deployment in Irpin, just outside Kyiv.

He said: I have never seen anything like that and never thought I would in my lifetime. Total devastation, buildings destroyed, lives destroyed, lives lost.

"We were on the frontline, the Russians were about 200m away. There were flats, buildings on fire and people were still in their homes, living their lives as normal.

"There was artillery coming down, and there was a guy out walking his dog, in his garden, it was surreal. But they have no option, what can they do? This is their home."

He added: "When things like this happen, it doesn't matter nationality, colour or religion. People are people. Ukraine is no different to Scotland and we stand together."

Ennis returned to Scotland in June in an effort to raise money to take an armoured truck back to Ukraine. He travelled back to the country in July.

Brian travelled with his son up to the Polish border, saying he was struck by what he saw.

The Scot left his garage business to fight in Ukraine

"The railway station was the first place in Poland the refugees appeared and it was chaos when he was first there at the height of the mass evacuation,” he said.

"When I arrived, there were only about 300 people - women, children, some elderly men - but what got me was the total silence in the station as I was cutting through.

"These kids were just traumatised from what had happened to them. It was quite upsetting to see their wee faces. They were getting aid and some had only a plastic bag with them."

Brian said it was difficult to let his son go back into the war-torn country.

He said: “We were hoping he wouldn't go back but his unit needed a medical vehicle and that's what he came back for.

"I understood that he is more committed than he has ever been to helping the Ukrainian people.

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"As a parent we would rather he would be here, out of harm's way. We are proud of him, but we worry."

"He is appreciated very much by the Ukrainian people for what he is doing. He certainly feels valued for what he does."

UK citizens are warned by the Foreign Office not to travel to Ukraine to fight.

It says: "If you travel to eastern Ukraine to fight, or to assist others engaged in the conflict, your activities may amount to offences against UK terrorism or other legislation and you could be prosecuted on your return to the UK."