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<\/p>\nA BRIT tourist has revealed the reason why an active warzone was his ultimate dream holiday destination.<\/p>\n
Mark Dabbs, 49, from Walsall, UK, took a trip to war-torn Kyiv, Ukraine, despite the country's ongoing war with Russia.<\/p>\n
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But the holidaymaker surprisingly revealed he had a great time posing at the city's historic locations – as well as next to tanks and military vehicles.<\/p>\n
Mark was helped on his journey by a "contact in Kyiv" who told him what buildings were safe to visit.<\/p>\n
He also sought advice from taxi drivers and various other civilians who he described as "informative."<\/p>\n
Mark, who works as a nurse, said: "I had been told it was a crazy idea. I felt it wasn't dangerous. Ukraine is such a huge country, and I had an amazing time.<\/p>\n
"I stayed with a lovely couple who gave me some potatoes and vegetables and offered me some vodka the first night I was there, but I had to decline, having given up alcohol in 2007".<\/p>\n The adventurous Brit revealed he stayed near the Kyiv Tower which gave him plenty of time to do a short lap of the area where he luckily found no signs of any war activity.<\/p>\n "There were just a few buildings that looked like they may have been destroyed, although there was construction equipment there so they could have just been building," he said.<\/p>\n Mark explained that the Kyiv Tower appeared as if had been recently restored as there was no observable damage.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n While on his trip, the traveller also visited the cathedral, a genocide museum, and the cemetery of Lesya Ukrainka – a national poet of Ukraine.<\/p>\n "A lot of the information boards about strategic buildings had been painted over – probably to confuse Russian troops should they have reached Kyiv. It did not help me find places!" he added.<\/p>\n "All too soon trip was over."<\/p>\n However, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has advised against all travel to Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict.<\/p>\n "FCDO\u00a0continues to advise British nationals against all travel to Ukraine. This is because the risks are too high," they wrote.<\/p>\n With attacks frequently taking place in major Ukrainian cities, and several towns and cities in southern and eastern Ukraine temporarily under Russian control, the FCDO says "There is a real risk to life".<\/p>\n If Brits are currently in Ukraine, they are advised to leave if safe to do so.<\/p>\n Mark's holiday comes after businesses around Gyllyngvase Beach and nearby Swanpool Beach in Falmouth,\u00a0Cornwall,\u00a0said their picturesque town had been turned into a "war zone" with tourists too scared to visit.<\/p>\n Swanpool Beach Cafe was almost set on fire when a disposable barbecue was left in a wooden bin.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/GIF-Ukrainian-commandos.gif?strip=all&w=360&h=240&crop=1\"\/)
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