"A Desperate Cry from the Front Lines: The Harrowing Truth of War"
The horrors of war are a tale often told by veterans, but rarely heard by civilians - those who sign up to fight at the drop of a hat. For 20-year-old Akula, the initial rush of patriotism gave way to unimaginable fear, cold, hunger, and loneliness as he faced the harsh realities of combat.
Akula joined the war effort in Ukraine just days after the Russian invasion began, eager to serve his country. But what followed was a harrowing experience that would leave him grappling with PTSD long after the fighting had ended. Speaking candidly to CNN about his time on the front lines, Akula shared his heart-wrenching story of trauma and struggle.
"I was scared, cold, hungry, and lonely," he recounted, his voice shaking as he recounted the most traumatic moments of his experience. "There were days when I couldn't even hold a knife or a gun in my hand. The sounds of gunfire and screams still echo in my head."
Akula's story is all too familiar - one that highlights the human cost of war and the long-term effects on mental health. As a volunteer soldier, he signed up to serve, but what he encountered was far from the heroic tale of bravery often depicted in media.
"I couldn't sleep at night, and when I did, I would wake up with nightmares," Akula said, his eyes welling up with tears as he spoke of the psychological toll. "It's like my mind is forever stuck in this nightmare."
His experiences on the front lines are a stark reminder that war is not just a matter of national interest or ideological fervor - it has a profound impact on individuals who put themselves in harm's way every day.
"It's hard to describe what it feels like, but if you could see the people around me, dead and dying, I would show you," Akula said, his voice cracking as he struggled to convey the trauma he witnessed. "But even now, I still can't escape the memories."
Akula's story is a powerful testament to the devastating effects of war on young lives - those who sign up to fight, thinking they are doing their duty for their country, but ultimately find themselves fighting for survival. His bravery in sharing his harrowing tale serves as a reminder that the true heroes of this conflict are not just the soldiers on the front lines, but also those struggling to cope with the trauma that follows.
The horrors of war are a tale often told by veterans, but rarely heard by civilians - those who sign up to fight at the drop of a hat. For 20-year-old Akula, the initial rush of patriotism gave way to unimaginable fear, cold, hunger, and loneliness as he faced the harsh realities of combat.
Akula joined the war effort in Ukraine just days after the Russian invasion began, eager to serve his country. But what followed was a harrowing experience that would leave him grappling with PTSD long after the fighting had ended. Speaking candidly to CNN about his time on the front lines, Akula shared his heart-wrenching story of trauma and struggle.
"I was scared, cold, hungry, and lonely," he recounted, his voice shaking as he recounted the most traumatic moments of his experience. "There were days when I couldn't even hold a knife or a gun in my hand. The sounds of gunfire and screams still echo in my head."
Akula's story is all too familiar - one that highlights the human cost of war and the long-term effects on mental health. As a volunteer soldier, he signed up to serve, but what he encountered was far from the heroic tale of bravery often depicted in media.
"I couldn't sleep at night, and when I did, I would wake up with nightmares," Akula said, his eyes welling up with tears as he spoke of the psychological toll. "It's like my mind is forever stuck in this nightmare."
His experiences on the front lines are a stark reminder that war is not just a matter of national interest or ideological fervor - it has a profound impact on individuals who put themselves in harm's way every day.
"It's hard to describe what it feels like, but if you could see the people around me, dead and dying, I would show you," Akula said, his voice cracking as he struggled to convey the trauma he witnessed. "But even now, I still can't escape the memories."
Akula's story is a powerful testament to the devastating effects of war on young lives - those who sign up to fight, thinking they are doing their duty for their country, but ultimately find themselves fighting for survival. His bravery in sharing his harrowing tale serves as a reminder that the true heroes of this conflict are not just the soldiers on the front lines, but also those struggling to cope with the trauma that follows.
it's like, we all know war is brutal and stuff, but hearing someone share their personal experience is a whole different story 
akula's story is like, so haunting... he goes in thinking he's doing his country a solid, but really he's just fighting for survival 
it's crazy how something as patriotic as serving your country can turn into this nightmare scenario 
i feel bad for him, honestly. the fact that he's still dealing with ptsd and nightmares all these years later is just...wow 
we need more people like akula sharing their stories so we can understand the true cost of war 
? all jokes aside tho, its crazy how much they gotta deal w/ PTSD & mental health after fightin 4 ur country 
. i mean i feel bad 4 akula & others but like, what r we even doin w/ the way ppl are puttin each other through hell? 
It's like, what were they thinking when they signed up for this?! 
But honestly, we gotta acknowledge that war is NOT just about bravery or patriotism - it's about the human cost 
. I think we need to start talking more about this stuff so people understand what's really going on behind the scenes 
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#TraumaSurvivor #WarEffects On Akula's story, I feel like ppl should really know about PTSD & its long-term effects 
#MentalHealthMatters
Man, 20 years old and he's already gone through so much 
It's like, what can you even say? War is just so brutal and it affects people in ways we can't even begin to understand 
the way we perceive war is so distorted 
and to remind us that war is not just a matter of national interest, but also a deeply personal struggle for those who experience it firsthand 
. it's like, we're always talking about the veterans and their sacrifices, but what about those who are still trying to pick up the pieces of their lives? 
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interesting how some people think war is all about patriotism, but they don't realize there's a whole other side of emotions like fear, hunger and loneliness involved 
it's like our media always shows the brave soldiers but what about the ones who come back with trauma 
it's time we acknowledge that war has a huge impact on people's mental health 
[click here to watch his story on CNN](https://www.cnn.com/videos/breaking-news/2025/02/15/ukraine-war-civilian-soldier-ptsd-intl.cnn) 
. The sounds of gunfire and screams still echoing in his head? That's trauma, dude 
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. The fact that he had to witness people dying around him and couldn't even sleep at night because of the nightmares is just devastating 
War is a harsh reality that affects so many lives, even those who don't directly experience it. It's heartbreaking to hear Akula's story, a reminder of the true cost of conflict on mental health & young lives. 
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It's crazy how long it takes for these stories to get out. Honestly, though, his experience is super valid and we need more voices like this. I mean, people often talk about PTSD in a major way but rarely share the actual struggles of dealing with it on a daily basis. The sounds of gunfire still echo in his head... that's some serious stuff.