An Ohakune man who visits the eastern Ukraine regularly says the civil war is wrecking the lives of millions who just want to get on with living without conflict.
For more than 20 years David (Rabbit) Nottage has travelled to Russia and in the past 10 years has visited theUkraine as well. He had made dozens of friends who were warning him to stay away because it was dangerous, he said. But he's going back this year - just not to east Ukraine.
"I will be going to west Ukraine. I am worried and very sad for all my friends. They didn't want this, and their lives are in turmoil."
Last weekend at least 24 civilians were killed and another 85 injured as the city of Lugansk in eastern Ukraine, which he visits, was heavily shelled on Friday and Saturday.
The bombardment of the city, home to more than 400,000 people, had gone on all Friday night and through Saturday morning, he said.
MAN IN LUGANSK: David Nottage in Lugansk, Ukraine beside a WWI commemorative statue. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
The downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, killing nearly 300 passengers near Hrabove in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, on July 17 was a nightmare.
"When I heard the news I was sick because this is the work of mercenaries, the rebel soldiers are mercenaries. They place no value on life, death means nothing to them and they kill and will keep on killing. It's what they do."
This year his trip back to the Ukraine will be a visit to Odessa in west of the country. He always goes in their winter. "It's a gorgeous place on the Black Sea, hours away from the east.
"I love the winter - 30 degrees below, it's amazing ."
