U.S. veterans answer Ukraine's call for outside help as Russia invades

A gas station on the rural outskirts of Lviv in western Ukraine may be an unlikely place to encounter two former U.S. servicemen from San Diego, but for a nation under siege and on the move, such stations have turned into surprisingly colorful and cosmopolitan places.

As Ukrainian soldiers in uniform rubbed shoulders with mothers bouncing babies on their hips, an ersatz food truck loaded with donations filled up and children chased errant pets.

You can also bump into foreigners who have volunteered to support the Ukrainians as they fight the Russian invasion, including two former U.S. servicemen from San Diego.

“We’re here to help the people. There’s a group of Americans, all veterans, out here to help in any way we can,” Lane Perkins, 26, a former Navy boatswain mate, told NBC News on Tuesday.