‘Just shoot me’: Calgarian fighting in Ukraine in painful recovery after drone attack

KYIV — A 23-year-old Calgary man who has been fighting for Ukraine faces a painful recovery after receiving burns to nearly 30 per cent of his body in a Russian drone strike on Canada Day.

Mac Hughes initially joined his father Paul in doing volunteer work in the war-torn nation but joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine after a close friend died in the fighting.

Sitting in a wheelchair near the Kyiv City Clinical Hospital where he’s receiving treatment, Hughes recounted the attack that caused his injuries.

“A Shahed (drone) came into our position and I was running. I jumped in between a car and a wall, and the Shahed exploded about 10 metres away from me,” Hughes told The Canadian Press. “The car took the bulk of the blast, but it got shifted over onto my right foot.

“I went to stand up and I couldn’t stand up because my foot was pinned.”

Some of the drone wreckage ignited diesel fuel on the ground and soon, his legs were on fire.

“My teammates showed up and tried to lift the vehicle,” Hughes said.

“At that point, I looked at my teammates and I asked them to just shoot me because I didn’t want to burn to death.”

Hughes, wearing a military green T-shirt that says, “Hero who stands with Ukraine,” said one of his comrades was finally able to pull his foot out.

But the injury he received was substantial. Pulling back his bandages, he revealed angry, reddish diamond outlines where he had skin grafts. The ones on his feet were a mottled grey and purple.

“I have third-degree burns on just under 30 per cent of my body,” Hughes said. “But it is what it is. I’m alive. I got all my limbs.”

Still, he wishes things had turned out differently.

“I wish I ran faster, maybe jumped a little bit further,” Hughes said. “But other than that, it’s life … in a war zone. Things happen. People get injured. People die. It comes with the territory.

“It was good that he just pulled me out instead of shooting me.”

Paul Hughes, 61, a Canadian military veteran and Calgary activist, originally went to Ukraine in March 2022 to fight, but decided to work at delivering supplies and evacuating those in need.

He reaches over and rubs his son’s shoulders.

“He’s turned into a man and a leader. I never taught him bravery, but that’s him. That’s all him,” the father said. “The fact that he made the decision to help this country out … and how he’s been dealing with this very severe injury and the strength that he has.

“He inspires me. My son inspires me. I’m incredibly proud of my son.”

Hughes said he is expecting to spend a number of months recovering from his injuries. He has no regrets about fighting for Ukraine and plans to return to the fight when he recovers, he said.

“I’ll be back at ‘er. The war’s not going anywhere, and I’m not going anywhere,” Hughes laughed.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 26, 2025.

Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press