As a young man, Akula joined the fight in Ukraine when Russia launched its invasion earlier this year. Now, he finds himself struggling to cope with the harsh realities of war - being scared, cold, hungry, and lonely.
Akula spoke candidly to CNN's David McKenzie about his experiences on the front lines, where he witnessed unimaginable suffering and loss of life. His time in combat has left him grappling with the psychological toll of the conflict, including severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
His story paints a harrowing picture of what it means to be a volunteer soldier caught up in a war that seems to have no end. With temperatures plummeting and food supplies dwindling, Akula's daily struggles are compounded by an ever-present sense of isolation.
"I'm scared all the time," he revealed in the interview with CNN. "Every day is different. You never know what will happen next." For Akula, the memories of his fellow soldiers who have been killed or injured still haunt him.
As the war drags on, Akula's mental health continues to deteriorate. He described feeling like a burden to his family and friends back home, while also struggling with feelings of guilt for having survived when others did not.
His story highlights the human cost of this conflict and serves as a poignant reminder that those caught up in the fighting are often the most vulnerable - their mental health and well-being hanging precariously in the balance.
Akula spoke candidly to CNN's David McKenzie about his experiences on the front lines, where he witnessed unimaginable suffering and loss of life. His time in combat has left him grappling with the psychological toll of the conflict, including severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
His story paints a harrowing picture of what it means to be a volunteer soldier caught up in a war that seems to have no end. With temperatures plummeting and food supplies dwindling, Akula's daily struggles are compounded by an ever-present sense of isolation.
"I'm scared all the time," he revealed in the interview with CNN. "Every day is different. You never know what will happen next." For Akula, the memories of his fellow soldiers who have been killed or injured still haunt him.
As the war drags on, Akula's mental health continues to deteriorate. He described feeling like a burden to his family and friends back home, while also struggling with feelings of guilt for having survived when others did not.
His story highlights the human cost of this conflict and serves as a poignant reminder that those caught up in the fighting are often the most vulnerable - their mental health and well-being hanging precariously in the balance.
"The world is a fine place, and worth fighting for." It's heartbreaking to see young people like Akula struggling with PTSD and feeling isolated during this war 
, it's us out there too. struggling to cope with our own demons, trying to find a way to heal. war is no joke, and it takes a toll on your mental health like nothing else. we need more support for soldiers like akula, people who put their lives on the line for others. we can't just talk about PTSD, we gotta take action too 
. not saying he's blameless or anything, but come on, let's try to be empathetic here 
.
. I mean, what's next? Some guy who survived a tsunami and is now struggling to cope with being alive? 
can we do more to support these volunteer soldiers and their families? they're literally fighting for our freedom but nobody really thinks about how hard it is for them emotionally 
. It's like they're carrying around this huge weight of survivor's guilt... what a heavy burden to bear 
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, i cant even imagine being in Akula's shoes, fighting for something that feels like it has no end 
. its not just the physical struggles but also the emotional toll