How to help the Ukrainian military right now – A list of volunteer initiatives
Amid intensified shelling and provocations by Russian proxy forces in eastern Ukraine and the anti-Ukrainian rhetoric of Russian President Vladimir Putin, more and more Ukrainians are wondering how to help the Ukrainian military.
NV takes a look at four volunteer initiatives, and one government one, that support the Armed Forces of Ukraine with money, equipment, and medicine.
Come Back Alive
Come Back Alive is one of the most famous and influential charitable foundations that helps Ukrainian veterans and the military.
In January 2022 alone, the foundation raised more than UAH 6 million for military needs. Contributors focus on providing technical assistance in the form of the latest technologies that solve the most urgent problems of the front – for this, military relations managers work on the contact line in order to better understand the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and provide necessary assistance in a timely manner.
Come Back Alive provides the Ukrainian military with thermographic cameras, mobile surveillance systems, quadcopters, sniper equipment, bulletproof vests, office equipment, laptops and other equipment. In addition, the foundation has instructor and educational programs for officers.
Come Back Alive is committed to principles of transparency and regularly publishes information on the distribution of funds on its website.
Army SOS
The Army SOS initiative helps the Armed Forces of Ukraine precisely in those areas in which the country is lacking, such as airborne communications intelligence and air weapons control systems.
The initiative manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles and with their help is engaged in intelligence gathering along the front line, the purchase and programming of technology for soldiers, the supply of vehicles, radio intelligence equipment, silencers, and other assistance.
In addition, the volunteers developed the “Kropyva” software package, a combat tactical command and control system. Activists note that this software reduces the deployment time of an artillery battery, and provides a number of technological bonuses for the military on the battlefield or during exercises:
access to an electronic map of the area with the display of one’s own position with GPS;
data exchange with other system subscribers. The data as a whole contains the positions of allied units, the coordinates of detected targets, and brief text messages;
solving individual calculation tasks, such as calculating a march, an impact area, or artillery corrections;
ensuring interaction and data transmission from reconnaissance means such as unmanned aerial vehicles, radar and sound-measuring systems in automatic mode.
Phoenix Wings
The charitable foundation Phoenix Wings provides assistance in equipping the Ukrainian military with non-lethal personal protective equipment, such as bulletproof vests and helmets, the treatment of wounded soldiers, the renovation of military buildings, and the purchase of first-aid kits.
“Our task is to dress, shoe, protect and improve the Ukrainian military in a short time,” the initiative’s website reads.
“We have already sent our military thousands of helmets, bulletproof vests, hundreds of radio sets, and sights. Our existence is facilitated by caring patriots of Ukraine from different parts of the world.”
Over the course of the project, the organization has collected about UAH 60 million for the needs of the Ukrainian military. On the Phoenix Wings’ website, you can select the military unit to which you want to transfer assistance. The charity keeps track of donations, publishing information on a regular basis.
People's Project
The People's Project brings together volunteers and good Samaritans who implement charitable projects in the field of defense, medicine, and public initiatives.
The initiative has already raised funds for the implementation of more than 80 projects that have helped the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in particular: the purchase of specific sniper and airborne equipment, Ukrainian-made folding drones, sports prostheses for the military, etc.
“Due to their functionality, unmanned aerial vehicles provide an opportunity to see the enemy from the sky and discover their plans,” the project explains.
“Accordingly, commanders may take decisions that provide a tactical and operational advantage over the enemy. And the best part is that to obtain such information, you only need a technical tool that minimizes risks for our soldiers.”
You may also support projects to raise money to help Ukrainian snipers, paratroopers, and sappers.
The official website of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine also accepts direct donations for the logistical and medical support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The department’s website states that if legal entities and individuals wish to transfer funds directly to military units and institutions, they are invited to contact local commanders (officers-in-charge).
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