June 29, 2023
52,549 people evacuated from danger to date
313 people evacuated from danger this week
32 trips into the deoccupied and frontline territories
Once again, the war in Ukraine came into the center of attention last week due to the dramatic spat between different factions of Russia’s terrorist armies. Yet, unlike the Kakhovka Dam disaster a few weeks earlier, these events had little impact on the day to day operations of our volunteers. Frontline cities, from Kherson to Kharkiv continue to suffer from daily attacks, and people who have already lost their homes to floods or artillery fire continue to be desperate for help. As we all continue to work together to save Ukrainian civilians and bring victory closer, we once again would like to thank each of our supporters who in the midst of chaotic, often confusing events, managed to focus on what matters– providing direct efficient help where it’s needed most. We are honored that Ukraine TrustChain continues to serve as the conduit for your support to the people of Ukraine.
Stories
Evacuations from the Occupied Territories
Multiple teams risk their lives evacuating residents from Russian-occupied territories on the left bank. These missions are always dangerous and logistically difficult. Our reports about their activities must of necessity be vague to protect both the volunteers and the populations they serve. A few teams that evacuated people from the occupied left bank to Ukraine controlled territory are no longer able to do it, as the risk has risen to deadly levels, yet some groups are still able to rescue people across the narrowed Dnipro, even now. The teams already embedded in occupied communities are able to continue working, albeit in tense conditions. One team managed to evacuate 155 people last week, including bedridden patients whose transport required a great deal of pre-planning and extra care.
Another team has been able to provide 700+ people in occupied settlements with food, hygiene and medicine. The conditions are harsh. Some houses are still flooded. People are getting sick, there is an outbreak of respiratory diseases in the area, and extensive monitoring by the occupying forces creates an atmosphere of fear and secrecy.
Kherson Flood Relief
Four of our teams are spearheading efforts to make Kherson homes liveable again. The process involves pumping the water out, power washing the walls, drying buildings with special fans, and then applying disinfecting chemicals. This process, hard in peaceful conditions, is incredibly difficult with ongoing artillery and mortar fire Russians continue to pour on Kherson.
Artillery shells hit close to the building entrance where our volunteers were working, but nobody was hurt and our equipment did not get damaged. In another neighborhood, volunteers had to wait out artillery fire under a fence. These intense levels of risk concern us a great deal. But we accepted that after suffering so much, Kherson residents and the local volunteers helping them refuse to leave their city, in defiance of Russian intimidation tactics.
The Kherson branch of Inna’s team is currently working on 14 apartments and 2 highrises. The process is often not straightforward. Earlier this week they pumped the water out of two residential homes, only to see basements fill out with water again, so the volunteers have to take a break in those areas waiting for the ground waters to recede as well. We will continue to support this process in the coming weeks and months.
Continued Trips into Kherson Region
Alena’s trip this week got delayed. Two of the three usual drivers deemed this week’s mission too dangerous. The situation in and around Kherson is tense due to shelling. However, Alena’s team persevered and found alternate means of transportation for Sunday. Here is what Alena told us about the trip:
“We ended up with two cargo vans and our first stop was in Chernobayivka. This is where a camp was set up to feed the rescue workers, but now there are also people whose homes were damaged in the flood living there and the volunteers feed everyone.” Alena’s team brought the aid that was specifically requested - meat, water, vegetables, and styrofoam containers for meal distribution in this case.
Their next stop was a rescue-workers’ base in Kherson. This time among the usual list of requests, Alena brought black body bags, which our other volunteer Kseniia sourced and mailed from Kyiv.
Next, Alena’s team stopped by two hospitals delivering coolers of insulin and other medicine. They found out that one of the nurses had her birthday that day, and one of the drivers just happened to have a birthday card in the car. The nurse was so happy to be celebrated amid all the shelling and never-ending work.
Finally, the rest of the cleaning supplies, including rakes, mops, gloves, shovels, carts, generators, power-washing machines were distributed between 3 different places in Kherson, which we cannot name for safety reasons.
The last stop was in Antonivka, where almost 280 homes stand completely flooded. That day the village was being shelled hard. The army allowed volunteers to pass telling them to hurry up while the shelling is coming from the Ukrainian side and they can somewhat control it. Once the return fire begins, they better not be there. “We had never driven this fast, ” Alena said.
Team summaries
Ihor Dobra Sprava (“Good Cause”)
13 trips and 158 people evacuated mostly from Kostyantinivka, Toretsk, New York, Lyman region, Kramatorsk, and Druzhkivka.
63 families received aid in the Lyman and Slovyansk regions.
Oleksandr D’s Volunteer Networks
Oleksandr S (Boyarka): delivered 2 tons of water filters, generators, pumps and boats to cope with flood and aftermath in Kherson. 29 pallets of diapers, hygiene and medical products to Kyiv for further distribution in other regions.
Vladyslav K (Mykolaiv): delivered 35 tons of drinking water to Mykolaiv.
Sandra S (Odesa): kitchen fed more than 2,000 people, most of them refugees from
Kherson.
Yuri S (Vinnytsia): distributed 4.6 tons of humanitarian aid in Berezyna (Lviv Region) and Vinnytsia.
Vilis N (Chernivtsi): brought 20 tons of humanitarian cargo to Kyiv for further distribution.
Oleksandr Z (Lutsk): held 2 art therapy sessions and 1 puppet theater camp for children with disabilities, children of internally displaced people (IDPs) and children from large families.
Ksenia-Team - NGO Livyj Bereh
4 more roofs were completed
Olha and Svitlana (Kseniia’s Kherson team) helped 235 families in Kherson
Provided 42 targeted aid packages
Brought 83 family aid packages to Posad-Pokrovs’ke near Kherson
Karina’s Team - We Save Dnipro
51 people in the shelter
Sent 3 vans full of humanitarian aid to Kharkiv and Kherson
Delivered aid to a home in Bogodukhov that houses orphaned children and adults with disabilities
Inna’s Team
19,400 people received aid last week
8,100 received aid packages
11,000 people received bread
We received an official thank you from the Chuhuev City council for sponsoring the bread program.
300 people received aid in the occupied territories
Continued distributions in difficult frontline cities of Kupiansk, Konstantynivka, Berislav
2 trips to Berislav, delivering 210 aid packages, water and hygienic sets.
Flood relief efforts continue in Kherson, 14 apartments are being dried now, as well as 2 highrises
Received 1000s of bottles of water in Kriviy Rih from our valued partner Project Kesher Ukraine for distribution in the affected Kherson areas
Timur’s Team – Timur and Team
Distributed 250 food packages in Saltivka, Kharkiv
Delivered 150 hygiene packages to Kupyansk
Repaired their vehicle and replaced tires after the Kherson trips
Tetiana’s Team - Dopomoha Poruch
Distributed aid in Kherson: power banks, blankets, hygiene products, food, propane tanks.
Distributed 150 aid packages in Balabyne, Zaporizhzhya region.
Pavel - Touch of Heart and Dawn of Hope
1,650 received aid in Mykolayiv, mostly refugees from Kherson
Provided aid to multiple villages that suffered from Kakhovka Dam flooding
Delivered water containers and generators to Afanasivka, Vaylivka
Brought clothing and other aid to low-income families in Yurievka and Afanasivka
120 tool packages (shovels, buckets, brooms, rubber boots, mattresses), and targeted help to low-income families in Novovaylivka
Helped 210 people at Mykolayiv nursing home “House of Care”
Andriy - BF Pomahaem
Delivered 200 packages to Zhovti Vody
Distributed 400 packages to 11 flood-damaged villages near Kherson along the Inhulets tributary
Launched a program providing water pumps to rural communities to help with the consequences of flooding. When needed the team is providing UTC-sponsored generators to power the pumps as well.
40 tons of water delivered to Nikopol and Marhanets
63 people stayed at Andriy’s shelter last week.
Andriy’s warehouse resumed providing aid to families with children. 2,121 people received help, including 797 children.
Marina – Good Give Ukraine
150 families received help and support in food and hygiene packages.
Dina - Vilni Liudy – Vilna Krayina
Provided aid to 250 families at the distribution centers
Mailed 115 packages of aid to small towns
Provided 4 tablets to children from displaced families who attend school remotely
Continued to collect and mail aid to other volunteers in Kherson, Volchansk
Sergey T brought aid to three small towns in the Donetsk region right near the front line
Bogdan - Vse robymo sami
42 families received food packages
During the second week of inclusive summer camp, children visited the movie theater, had first aid class, and attended art museum and architecture field trips.
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