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After many years on Norwegian mountain roads, the Toyota Land Cruiser from Hemsedal has now been given a new life in Ukraine. Owner Erik Enitch hopes the vehicle can be of use in a country he has strong ties to and has supported since the first days of the war.
The faithful Toyota Land Cruiser belonging to Erik Enitch has received its final, and perhaps most important assignment. It has now been handed over by Fritt Ukraina to Ukrainian forces defending the country against the Russian invasion.
The vehicle, a 2006 Land Cruiser, has had a long and active life in Norway. It began its service in Finnmark, has transported traditional rakfisk (traditional Norwegian fermented trout) from Halne on the Hardangervidda plateau, and has travelled demanding mountain roads in southern Norway.
A completely new chapter now awaits on Ukrainian winter and mud-covered roads, where it has been placed into operational service and will contribute under demanding conditions near the front line.
“The engines in these vehicles run forever,” says Enitch. “It gets through anywhere, with low gear, differential lock and heavy-duty winter tyres. Let’s hope it will have a long life in Ukraine as well, it certainly won’t fade away quietly.”
A long life in the mountains
Erik Enitch is a retiree, mountaineer and editor of Kaggen, a local newspaper in Hemsedal.
He has also written several books on mountains, mountaineering and outdoor life, including a mountain quiz book together with the legendary climber Iver Gjelstenli, a close friend of Enitch.
He has also worked with Skandinavisk Høyfjellutstyr and Asolo.
Enitch knows Ukraine well, with relatives in Rivne Oblast and several visits before the war.
“The whole war is simply horrific, with both drones and mines. And the mines will remain a problem for many years, even after the war is over,” he says.
From support at a distance to action
Enitch has supported Ukraine since the first days of the war. He explains that in recent years he has chosen to send money to Ukraine instead of buying Christmas presents, and that it feels meaningful to contribute more directly now.
“It feels good to help in a practical way. This vehicle has had a long life in the mountains, and I believe it will manage well in Ukraine too,” he says.
The Land Cruiser is EU-approved and comes equipped with heavy-duty winter tyres.
“It will likely be put into service where the need is greatest,” Enitch said when it was sent off.
In service at the front
The Land Cruiser has now been handed over to Achilles Unmanned Aerial Systems Brigade. The vehicle is used by the brigade’s engineer and sapper battalion, which operates in the Kharkiv, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia directions.
A sapper battalion is a military engineering unit working close to the front line with tasks such as mine clearance, handling explosives, constructing field fortifications and removing obstacles.
In Ukraine, where vast areas are mined and explosive devices are used systematically, such units play a crucial role both in enabling their own forces to advance and in protecting civilian areas.
Vehicles like the Land Cruiser are used to transport personnel, equipment and explosive materials under demanding conditions.
“We carry out missions in these areas and strike the enemy relentlessly and effectively,” says the brigade’s Chief Sergeant and head of the engineer and sapper battalion.
He also expresses clear gratitude to Fritt Ukraina for the support, including the transfer of the vehicle:
“We would like to thank the Norwegian organisation Fritt Ukraina for the support provided, including the vehicle that is now helping us in the fight. We will win. We are strong. Glory to Ukraine.”