In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, I speak with Rosie Cecil — head of strategic partnerships for Mission Ukraine UK and a medic/ambulance driver with Mobile Medical Rescue (MMR). For three years, Rosie has volunteered in Ukraine, supporting frontline medics, delivering vehicles and aid, and driving into danger zones to evacuate the wounded.

We discuss her journey from delivering generators to war-torn villages in 2022 to running medical evacuations in the “grey zone” today. Rosie reflects on the realities of drone warfare, the deliberate targeting of medics and civilians, the trauma faced by Ukrainians, and why international volunteers remain vital to Ukraine’s survival.

She also shares hard-earned lessons on courage, coping with fear, and the values that drive her to return again and again. From Xinjiang to Turkmenistan, Rosie has seen dictatorship up close — and explains why democracy, however flawed, is still worth defending.

Topics covered:

• Rosie's path into volunteering in Ukraine after the 2022 invasion.
• Supporting frontline medics with vehicles and supplies.
• What it’s like driving medevac ambulances under drone threat.
• The “grey zone” and “death zone”: life on the edge of the front.
• Targeting of medics, ambulances, and civilians as war crimes.
• Trauma, resilience, and coping strategies for volunteers.
• Crowdfunding a modern war: the crucial role of civilians and NGOs.
• International support and morale for Ukrainian soldiers.
• Dictatorship vs democracy: lessons from Ukraine, Xinjiang, and Turkmenistan.
• Rosie's message to dictators and their supporters.

Resources & links mentioned:

• Mission Ukraine UK
  
  
• Mobile Medical Rescue (MMR)
  
  
• Come Back Alive Foundation – supporting Ukraine’s defenders

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