Ukraine: Social media 'encouraging NI veterans to fight'

An army veterans charity has warned that social media messaging about the war in Ukraine could put the lives of former soldiers at risk.

Some social media sites are being used to invite former soldiers to travel to the war zone.

Beyond the Battlefield is a Newtownards based support group which provides mental help and other services to NI veterans.

The group's chairman said the messaging is dangerous.

"I've actually had a lot of people, who we have already been treating, coming in and wanting to get out to Ukraine," chairman Robert McCartney said.

"The reason they're actually doing that is, social media is actually being slaughtered at the moment by groups of people from all over the United Kingdom asking for recruits to try to form some type of army."

He added "So the whole thing has actually gone nuts and they're playing with the young fellas' heads."

James Girvan, a former soldier who served in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2005 and 2010, is also concerned.

"I wouldn't just go on your tod and try and jump on a train to get there because you could be gone straight away, you know," he told BBC News NI.

"That could end badly, very quickly," he warned.

Mr McCartney said veterans off all ages, across Northern Ireland, should ignore the social media messaging.

"The Ukrainian army's fighting well enough on their own. They don't need cowboys running about freelancing all over Ukraine," he said.

The office of the Veterans Commissioner at Stormont said former soldiers from Northern Ireland should follow the lead of the UK government and should not consider travelling to Ukraine.

Serving soldiers have banned from travelling to the country.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said all service personnel "were prohibited from travelling to Ukraine until further notice.

"This applies whether the service person is on leave or not. Personnel travelling to Ukraine will face disciplinary and administrative consequences."