Former Newark soldier Aiden Aslin to return to Ukraine — 50 days after Saudi Crown Prince and ex-Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich secured his release from death sentence
Former Newark soldier Aiden Aslin is returning to the Ukraine — 50 days after the Saudi Crown Prince and ex-Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich secured his release from a death sentence.
But this time Aiden will not be returning to the front line as a combatant but as a war correspondent.
He will report on the ongoing brutal conflict for his YouTube channel, but is also hoping to get his footage more widely shown and is in discussions to make that happen.
Aiden told the Advertiser he planned to spend some time on the front line, but would also be telling of the roles and the stories of Ukrainian soldiers and firemen as well as everyday folk and their battle for survival.
"It's my home. Obviously I don't want to be captured again, but I feel there is still work to be done. There are stories that need to be told," he said.
"I promised my fiancée that I wouldn't go back to the military. I don't expect to ever pick up a weapon again.
"I know that I may a recognisable face in Ukraine, but I feel it's worth the risk.
Aiden said his motivation was his love for his adopted country of Ukraine.
He also wants to bring eye-witness accounts to a wide audience in the West and to keep suffering in the public eye.
Aiden, a serving soldier, was captured during the siege of Mariupol. With the ammunition and stocks of food and water gone, his unit was ordered to surrender.
He laid down his arms, only to be sentenced in a kangaroo court to death by firing squad, being used as propaganda tool, and living under the constant threat of that sentence being carried out.
On his return to the Ukraine, Aiden's will check on the state of his home near the front line at Kherson.
His Ukrainian fiancée, Diana Okovyta, who arrived in Newark as a refugee, will stay behind, possibly until the war is over.
"I fear the war could drag on another few years unless something happens in Russia politically," said Aiden.
"Ukraine won't give up and has given Russia much more of a bloody nose than what I said before going into combat. Entire units are being wiped out.
"I do believe Ukraine has a real chance of winning this war."
