Today I met a Donbass veteran called Sergei and wanted to share some answers to questions that any of us might have asked him. Our encounter got off to a frosty start as Sergei was driving me on a longish journey, as I got into the car he asked me “can’t you hurry up”, “no” was my answer with the follow-up that I’d had knee surgery. I would have been more diplomatic if it wasn’t for that fact that I had arrived early for the pick-up. I think Sergei sensed he may have been on thinish ice and explained the terrible fines that get charged after five minutes of free waiting.