I’m a British bomb disposal expert in Ukraine – Russian drones nearly killed me ...Middle East

A British bomb disposal expert in Ukraine narrowly escaped being hit by a salvo of Russian kamikaze drones in a night-time bombardment.

Chris Garrett, 40, raced to the scene after Shahed unmanned combat aerial vehicles ignited fireballs, as Russia targeted energy infrastructure in the port of Odessa on Wednesday night.

As they scrambled to the area searching for casualties and to evacuate buildings, three more drones exploded just 50 metres from his team, with the bombs exploding near a tram line and a road.

In his bodycam footage, shared with The i Paper, the Iranian-designed drones carrying 50kg warheads are heard buzzing overhead as they descend before exploding on impact as Mr Garrett, originally from the Isle of Man, tries and find cover.

Volleys of Ukrainian counter-battery fire can be seen arrowing into the sky in a bid to shoot down the drones.

Mr Garrett hit out at Donald Trump for siding with “war criminal” Vladimir Putin and questioned if the current US administration would start arming Russia after the US President branded Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator”.

“I couldn’t see where the strikes were coming in, and then eventually there was a large fireball that erupted around front of me, so I headed to that one,” he told The i Paper.

“I’ve never had a shaded flown at me. And to line that up, I’ve never had three in a row.

“I won’t lie, it was a bit worrying because I wasn’t really much cover. There was nowhere to really hide, because I’m in the middle of a main road.

“I realised that one of the gates was open or had been blown open, so Imanaged to run in and tuck myself behind this low wall between that and the building.

“But it’s still the same building that they’re trying to target. So it’s 50/50 if you’ve picked the right place or not to go and hide.”

He previously volunteered and worked with the Ukrainian National Guard, defusing unexploded ordnance close to the frontline.

Mr Garrett now works with Prevail, a non-governmental organisation providing mine clearance training and medical support.

The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Ukraine, including for the purpose of fighting, and has urged British nationals to leave Ukraine immediately when safe to do so. 

“I understand the risks at the end of the day, and I’m willing to make a calculated risk if it’s beneficial to supporting the people that might need that help,” he added of his narrow escape on Wednesday night.

Russian forces had painted the Shaheds black to slip though Odesa’s air defence during the night time raid.

Mr Garrett was on his phone to another member of his team at a hotel who was alongside his fiancee when the drones started landing, with his phone cutting out when the first explosion hit.

“The Ukrainians were putting up a lot of fire at them last night. But it’s the middle of the night, It’s hard to hit a moving target when it’s black,” he added.

“I was on that site for maybe 30 minutes before the first emergency service response vehicle actually arrived.”

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 14 missiles and 161 drones into the country in a massive overnight attack, with 80 drones shot down.

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The i Paper spoke to Mr Garrett in 2022, as his unit hunted for anti-tank, anti-personnel and butterfly mines to clear a path for wounded Ukrainian troops to be evacuated.

He described how Russian troops stuffed hand grenades into washing machine drawers as they booby trapped civilian premises “indiscriminately”.

But the dangers of the role as the war has progressed means in his new role they have had to completely change the way they operate.

With eight years demining experience in Ukraine, he now trains Ukrainian military combat engineers and security staff.

“Because of the threats from FPV drones now, and the threat from fiber optic drones, if you go within five or 10 kilometers of the frontline now, you are really running a risk of being targeted by Russian drones,” Mr Garrett said.

“When I used to do a lot of the clearance and support of the police and the military and the emergency services, it was different because I was I was working as a volunteer or under contract with the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

“But now having both an international charity and a Ukrainian charity, I have to limit the risk to my staff and myself. So things have to be done differently.”

His friend, Edward Scott, a 28-year-old British aid worker from Dorset, lost his arm and leg in a drone attack earlier this month.

The battlefield landscape evolves every few weeks, he said, with new landmines, and homemade explosives devices being deployed.

He added he was “sick” of Russian “nonsense” that their troops did not target energy infrastucture, and said there was a “real fear” in Ukraine about US support disappearing after Trump braded Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator”.

“Ukraine used to think that America was its friends and ally and wanted to support them,” he said.

“And now what we’re seeing is a complete role reversal, where you have the current administration openly backing an internationally wanted war criminal and their partners, which is North Korea.

“What’s the next step is? Is Russia? Is America going to start arming Russia now? Now that Trump is saying that, you know, Zelensky is a dictator.

“I think it’s time for Europe and the UK to take the lead.”

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