A gym owner who offered to fight for Ukraine is on his way to the country but will be handing out essential supplies to refugees instead of firing bullets at the Russians.

Leon Dawson, 37, went to the Ukrainian embassy in London last week hoping to support the nation as it mounts dogged resistance to the increasingly bloody invasion by Vladimir Putin’s forces.

Although the mission told him it did not have time to train people without military experience, he is still prepared to do ‘whatever it takes’ to help amid a rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis that has seen 1.5 million people leave for neighbouring countries.

The London told Metro.co.uk that this could still include risking his life by taking up arms if he is asked to do so.

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He arrived in Poland this morning with friend Kai Portlock after they took turns driving a van piled high with donations across Europe.

They will hand out the aid, including food and clothes, and offer their assistance to the Ukrainians on an indefinite basis, even though it will mean crossing into the war zone as civilians.

They intend to buy body armour in Poland before heading over the border.

‘The embassy got back to me to say don’t come as they don’t have the time or facility to train people without military experience, as they are all on the front line,’ Leon said.

‘But they said leave it with us, they still needed my help, so I started to think about what else I could do.

‘Once we’ve handed out the supplies we are just going to go there and literally offer ourselves to the Ukrainians, to do whatever they want to do with us.’

Leon, from Roehampton, and his friend are presently headed for their first stop, a refugee camp in the city of Chelm in south-eastern Poland, 25km from the border with Ukraine.

After dropping the supplies off, the pair intend to enter the embattled country to help as many refugees, injured people or other victims of the invasion as they can, which could include driving them to safety.

The mission comes as the Kremlin’s forces increase their bombardment of key cities including Kyiv. The British government advises against all travel to Ukraine, stating ‘there is a real risk to life’.

‘There’s obviously an element of danger,’ Leon said. ‘I’ve seen a lot of videos on social media of people being killed, of bombs being dropped and houses being destroyed.

‘The minute we go over that border I’m under no illusion that I could die at any given moment.’

But the personal trainer told Metro.co.uk he could not stand by and watch the colossal suffering in the country, which was invaded by Mr Putin’s forces on several fronts 12 days ago.

‘I just feel that Ukraine is a stone’s-throw away, it’s on our doorstep, it’s real and happening now,’ he said.

‘I’ve volunteered to help in other countries in the past but certain laws have stopped me from going. I just felt this is something I could do, it’s not far to go, we can just get in the van and go and do something real to help.’

Leon, who is of mixed Jamaican and British heritage, also wants to show that Black people are standing by Ukraine despite reports of racism towards fleeing African students trying to catch trains out of the country.

‘I thought what better way to help them than for one of their own to go over there and see what I can do,’ he said.

‘I’m under no illusion there is racial tension over there but I don’t think Ukrainian people are racist at all and I want to show that Black people want to help and we are willing to go over there and offer our lives and support.’

Leon has paid for the logistics costs out of his own pocket and has set up a GoFundMe page for donations, raising more than £4,000 so far.

‘It’s overwhelming that people want to get involved,’ he said. ‘I’ve been getting messages on social media all day long with lots of support and lots of love. People genuinely want to help.’

Leon is still prepared to pick up arms if he is asked to by the Ukrainians, who have put up fierce resistance to the invasion, which is resulting in mounting civilian casualties amid heavy bombardment of urban areas.

‘I don’t think they’re going to arm us and let us fight, but they could,’ Leon said. ‘We will do whatever it takes to help.’

Leon has told his loved ones of his decision, which comes with 1.5 million people having fled Ukraine since the invasion began, according to UN figures. The unfolding humanitarian catastrophe is becoming the worst in Europe since the Second World War.

‘My mum was very upset and scared at the time, she didn’t want me to go,’ Leon said. ‘I explained that the man that she’s raised is not a man to sit at home watching the television while this is going on. This is the man that she’s raised, so it is what it is.’

To view the GoFundMe page and donate, click here

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