The phenomenon of Ukrainians, admired around the world, became volunteering in 2022. Suffering from the war, people are massively helping the defenders of Ukraine, displaced persons, neighbors, and socially vulnerable citizens.
Hundreds of volunteer and charitable foundations have been established in the country. Ukrainians are collectively raising money for weapons, equipment, clothing, and supplies.
The charitable foundation of Serhiy Prytula initiated the 'People's Bayraktar' project. To purchase three strike drones, they planned to raise 500 million UAH within seven days. However, in the first three days, they raised 600 million. Upon learning this, the manufacturer of the aircraft, the Turkish company Baykar, donated the drones for free. The saved money was spent on purchasing the ICEYE satellite and an annual subscription for satellite imagery. This helps the Ukrainian military obtain radar images of places with high frequency in any weather and at any time of the day.
Opera singer and musician 29-year-old Serhiy Ivanuchik evacuated people from Kharkiv and Ohtyrka in the Sumy region from the first days after Russia's attack. He saved more than 50 people.
On March 10, Ivanuchik was shelled by Russians in Kharkiv. He received five bullet wounds; the bullets hit his back, lungs, liver, and both legs. He also had shrapnel injuries. None of his passengers were injured. For 16 days, the singer was in the intensive care unit in Kharkiv. Later, he was treated in other institutions in Ukraine and Germany. He continues to volunteer, raising funds through his performances for medical equipment for Ukrainian hospitals.
A lot of scars remain on my body from bullet and shrapnel wounds. This reminds me of who is our brother and who is the enemy, says Serhiy Ivanuchik. My grandfather and grandmother spent 15 years in forced labor in Kolyma. My grandmother was taken at 15 for writing the poem 'As long as you are tortured, my Ukraine?' My grandfather was repressed for helping UPA soldiers distribute leaflets. The atrocities of the Russians will always be remembered by my great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and me. We will put an end to the existence of Russian invaders. Ukraine is stronger than ever now. We will win. I believe in each of us. We will deal with the traitors.
After the full-scale invasion of Russia, 82-year-old Mykola Shevchuk from the city of Novodnistrovsk in the Chernivtsi region donated all his savings to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This amounts to almost 400 thousand UAH. The man saved money from his pension. He also sold nuts, dried plums, and apples. For four years, he saved money from renting out his land shares.
We need to save Ukraine! says Mykola Shevchuk. I want other people, especially oligarchs, to take me as an example. I am not a hero. Just a Ukrainian.
One of the oldest Ukrainian volunteers is considered to be 90-year-old Serhiy Voznyuk from the city of Yampil in the Mohyliv-Podilskyi district of Vinnytsia region. He has been helping the Ukrainian army since 2014. Now he is weaving camouflage nets at home. He has produced about two hundred of them. He works every day, starting at dawn. The pensioner also prepares preserves for Ukrainian soldiers. This year, he cooked over 300 three-liter jars of compotes.
Children are volunteering the most in Ukraine. Ten-year-old Viktoria Veretyuk from the village of Korystova near Khmelnytskyi cut off 50 cm of her hair for the first time in her life. She donated it for the treatment of her peer Veronika Kulykova from Vuhledar in the Donetsk region. During a tank shelling by Russian occupiers, Veronika sustained serious injuries.
And five-year-old Mariya Makeyeva was recognized as the youngest volunteer in Ukraine. The girl set a national record by raising 35,492 UAH in one day for the needs of the Armed Forces. Mariya sang Ukrainian songs on the streets of Lviv while her 9-year-old brother Oleksandr accompanied her playing the saxophone. The money raised was used to purchase a thermal imaging scope for the military.
Every record holder fears their record will be broken, says Daria Makeyeva, the mother of the record holder. But we want other children to collect even larger sums to support the defenders and set even bigger records.
An original way of helping Ukrainian soldiers is provided by 48-year-old Olha Minenko from Lviv. She makes woven belts and socks from dog hair. She says these items have healing properties.
Since 2014, I started sending our military these products, says Minenko. I know they have healing properties. Thanks to micro-polarization, which a person may not even feel, blood flows to the part of the body where the item is applied. In the case of inflammation, doctors recommend dry heat, which is provided by items woven from dog undercoat. Woven belts can be worn not only around the waist but also wrapped around joints or the neck if you have a sore throat. The dog hair belt alleviates pain.