Ukrainian fish farmer Vadym Nechyporenko is giving away his fish to keep his country's army fed during the war with Russia. Speaking to The Scottish Farmer from Glevakha, 10 miles south west of Kyiv, Vadym stressed the determination of the country’s farmers to push back the invading Russians.

“We work as one to defend our country” said Vadym. “I have a small fish farm, we have no feed now, I am giving away fish to the war effort as needed. The first three days was a shock with the evacuation of people from Kyiv. I was not thinking about the farm. Now we have adjusted and either give away fish or sell it cheaply, what remains will get salted.”

How have you been impacted the war?

We have about one tonne of fish. We have not thrown it away! We lost some due to difficult conditions, but the bulk of it I am giving away to the army and territorial defence. Everyone does that – we are one country and one people! Our aim is to survive and defeat the enemy! We will rebuild everything, we are not afraid of hard work! My children and ex-wife are on the way to relatives in Europe (Poland and Germany), I accompanied them to Lvyv, then took the train back and returned to my farm in Kyivska Oblast (the region around the city of Kyiv). My Grandmother used to tell me about the war, and now I am in one myself.

How is the war affecting other farms?

Nearby there is a cattle farm which breeds calves for meat, with fields around. Nea rKyiv, everyone is preparing for defence and evacuating women with children. My godfather in the Cherkasy region (150 km from the front line) thinks that he will need to prepare for the sowing of grain. What will happen we do not know but hope for the best and need sowing! Rockets are flying low over my head... airplanes and helicopters. Next to my farm is Vasylkiv, where active fighting was going on, paratroopers and missile strikes. There are saboteurs – they have been living here for 12 months, for a long time. From the farm I could clearly see how Vasylkiv was bombed and heard how missiles hit Bila Tserkva.

Everyone has a problem with feed, poor logistics, and those who are near the front do not want to give food to the enemy. The Russians even steal chickens from people’s yards... They're hungry... they thought that they would capture the country in three to five days

Do you have a message for the readers of The Scottish Farmer?

We really need support. Military and humanitarian. Unfortunately, the world tolerates and fears Russia, but we are not afraid of them and are fighting. Putin is the great evil of the world. Our motto is the word freedom!