Prince Harry makes surprise visit to Ukraine and vows to support injured

Prince Harry laid a wreath at a flower and flag memorial to Ukraine's war dead in Kyiv's Maidan Square yesterday during a surprise visit to support the country in its fight against Russia and its thousands of seriously injured veterans.

- Nick Hopkins

Harry said he wanted to do "everything possible" to help the recovery of the thousands of military personnel who have been seriously injured in the three-year war against Russia.

During the trip to Kyiv, after an invitation from the Ukrainian government, Harry and a team from his Invictus Games Foundation gave details of new initiatives to support the rehabilitation of the wounded, with the eventual aim of providing help to all areas of the country.

The work of the foundation has become a passion for the prince, and he admitted the purpose that it had given him after leaving the military had "saved me".

"When I was 21 or 22, I think I resented the institutional role [of the monarchy], probably because of what it did to my mum," he told the Guardian.

"When I was young I didn't appreciate the spotlight that came with my role within the institution. But then I grew up to learn through military service the impact and responsibility that comes with service. It's the purpose of serving others that has saved me."

Harry said he had come to Kyiv to show his support for the country and all the veterans who were now recovering and rehabilitating from their injuries.

"We cannot stop the war but what we can do is do everything we can to help the recovery process.

"We can continue to humanise the people involved in this war and what they are going through. We have to keep it in the forefront of people's minds. I hope this trip will help to bring it home to people because it's easy to become desensitised to what has been going on."