Mark Willacy

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Mark Willacy |Nick Wiggins

The Russian soldier huddles against the tree in the foetal position. He knows the Ukrainian drone is above him and he tries desperately to hide from it. The undergrowth is too sparse though, and the drone can see him clearly. Sitting in a Ukrainian bunker nearby, watching the live feed from the drone, I can sense the Russian's terror. He knows he is about to die. We arrive under the cover of darkness, to avoid Russia's killer drones.

Jan 14, 2025 | abc.net.au | Riley Stuart |Mark Willacy

Russia has "a deep-seated hatred" of foreign fighters like Oscar Jenkins, a top Ukrainian official has warned, as DFAT investigates reports Vladimir Putin's soldiers have killed the captured Australian. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, also said Moscow's forces do "not adhere to any conventions, including those regarding the treatment of prisoners of war", like Mr Jenkins.

Nov 7, 2024 | abc.net.au | Mark Willacy

It wasn't the bang or the shudder that made my blood run cold. It was the plane's urgent struggle to get altitude. I had my earbuds in and was rocking to Pearl Jam as the plane built up speed for take off. I'd just closed my eyes as the wheels left the tarmac. That's when the bang jolted flight QF520 and its passengers and my eyes flashed open. I've flown airlines around the world for decades. I've flown onto an aircraft carrier, having me head almost snapped off.

Jul 23, 2024 | abc.net.au | Mark Willacy |Amy Donaldson |Nick Wiggins

/ Posted 7 minutes agoAt the end of Trump's unfinished border wall, America's divisions over immigration are laid bare. Jim Chilton doesn't look like someone who could stand up to the blood-soaked brutality of the notorious Mexican drug cartels. He's 85, and there's only one of him. All he's packing is an old bolt-action rifle and a handgun. But the veteran cattle rancher has plenty of Arizona grit. "I'm a cowboy, not a wimp," Jim says.

Jul 20, 2024 | abc.net.au | Amy Donaldson |Mark Willacy

Cindy Hans pops up her rainbow umbrella and shields a young woman's face as she steps out of her car. "Morning. We're here to walk you in," Cindy tells her. "I like your shirt; very nice."Cindy is part of a team of volunteers — or what's called an "escort" — at the Camelback abortion clinic in suburban Phoenix, Arizona. She had an abortion when she was 17 and now, aged 70, has dedicated her life to helping other women access the same treatment.