I was hit by four Russian mortar strikes in Ukraine – I could feel my body ‘giving up’ while I was rushed to hospital

A BRIT hero soldier hit by four Russian mortar strikes in Ukraine felt his body “giving up” on him while he was being rushed to hospital. Josh Griffiths, 30, was on a reconnaissance mission with three other foreign fighters when his patrol was spotted by silent Russian drones. Josh Griffiths said he could feel his body ‘giving up’ on himGo Fund Me The former Brit soldier joined the fight in MarchGo Fund Me Within moments of their spotting, four separate mortar attacks reigned down on them in quick succession. Josh remembers the first exploding “metres in front of me and sent me flying sideways” as the attacks came within seconds of each other. He told ITV News: “After the first artillery dropped, I tried [to] get myself back up to move to some cover. I realised then that my leg was busted. “I literally fell straight back to the ground. I remember shouting ‘I’m hit’, one of my colleagues tried getting to me just as a second mortar round landed, which then hit him as well.” MORE ON THE UKRAINE WAR ALL OUT WAR Bloodthirsty Putin 'may launch WW3 against UK if Russia defeats Ukraine' SHOCK AND AWE Inside Ukraine's crack artillery squadrons' deadly duel with Russian forces Josh scrambled for cover next to a concrete block and applied a tourniquet to his leg that was gushing blood as another two mortar bombs landed just feet away. Once the blitz was over, Ukrainian troops scooped Josh into their car and rushed him to hospital. “That’s when it really hit home, I could feel my body giving up slightly at times. I remember a colleague looking over me. He was there throughout the whole thing,” he said. “He just kept saying, look at me, look at me, look at me. I was staring at him as best I could. Most read in The Sun CRIS CRASH Man Utd star Ronaldo's Bugatti involved in crash as police launch investigation 'cried an ocean' X Factor star heartbroken after death of his fiancée on their wedding day down for the count Countdown's Susie Dent 'missing' from show and replaced by Rob Rinder 'hard watch' Laura Whitmore slammed by Love Island fans after awkward interview with Remi THROWN THE TOWEL Controversial moment staff REMOVE sunbed towels placed by holidaymakers FULL SUPPORT I’m a bra fitter, I always see women putting theirs on wrong and damaging it “My focus kept going, my vision was going blurry. It was just every time I said his name, he would respond and just hearing his response was what kept giving me the drive to keep going. “Hearing his voice, he literally kept me alive.” Speaking from his hospital bed in Ukraine, Josh explained the attack left him with “a fractured shin, really deep lacerations to my legs, damage to the flesh, muscle and tendons, potential nerve damage, deep shrapnel wounds in my shoulder and a broken collarbone”. The brave ex serviceman joined the fight in Ukraine after spending four years in the British military. He’s just one of 20,000 foreign fighters who have joined the fight to stop Mad Vlad’s forces from taking over Ukraine. It comes as two British fighters, Scott Sibley and Jordan Gatley, died in Ukraine after travelling there to fight in the war. Two others, Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin, have been sentenced to death by a kangaroo court in Donetsk, which accused them of being mercenaries. “We all know the risks that we’re taking coming out here, but it obviously does hit home that bit harder when it’s people you’ve either met along the way or fellow British people out here. “Seeing the terrible things that happen makes you want to, I’m not saying single-handedly, try and put an end to it even sooner.” Josh was trained as an armed combat engineer in the British armed forces. He drove tanks, cleared mines and booby traps – skills he felt would prove handy for the Ukrainian resistance. Despite never going on a tour with the British Army, Josh flew out to Ukraine in March. “I think I was being dragged out here subconsciously quite a bit, I joined the British army to go on tour and never got around to it,” he said. “I’d be lying if I said there’s not been times when I’ve been sat here thinking I could die today. “There’s been times where I potentially should already have been dead, as cliche as it sounds, sometimes it’s a kill or be killed situation.” The fearless fighter faces six months of rehab and more surgery. He’s also fundraising to be able to continue his recover back in the UK and hasn’t ruled out returning to the Ukrainian frontline once he’s better. Read More on The Sun SEA THIS I'm a size 18 & found the perfect Missguided bikinis for summer from £8 CHILL OUT How much does it cost to run a hot tub? He said: “You see these other guys losing their lives, getting captured and you always think it’s never going to be me. “That never happens to me. You never believe it’s going to happen to you, until it happens, and here I am.” Go Fund MeJosh with his army pals being escorted to the hospital[/caption] Russia has relied heavily on drones in the war in UkraineAP:Associated Press