Dear Supporters of Ukraine,
Right now, the city of Kramatorsk is key to the military, political and societal survival of Ukraine. As condition to any type of negotiation, the Russians demand to occupy the rest of the Donbass including Kramatorsk. During our recent UAO delivery trip to the East (check the report below), we have seen that the people of Ukraine are not willing to simply give up its land and people. Not only because Kramatorsk is still a lively city – it’s a fortress and key to the defense of Eastern Ukraine.
Donate here for the Drone Pilots of Kramatorsk: https://donorbox.org/fortresskramatorsk
Therefore, we decided to dedicate our newest fundraiser to the drone pilots of Kramatorsk - doubling down our efforts in this direction. In this UAO August 2025 newsletter, you can read about:
- Sytske's UAO Delivery Report - 1000 Impressions from Eastern Ukraine
- Defending Fortress Kramatorsk - Birds for our "Pilot Cats"
- Our Campaign with the CVR-community delivered Great Results
- Ukraine's 34th Independence Day
Your UAO Volunteer Team
Sytske's UAO Delivery Report - 1000 Impressions from Eastern Ukraine
Right after Trump’s meeting with Putin in Alaska, we set out on a delivery trip to Kramatorsk and Pavlograd. This time the crew was unusually large: Yuri, Sascha, Tor, her uncle Aksel, and me [Sytske]. A big team for some big deliveries — including three quad bikes with trailers.
The “red-carpet” meeting left a bitter aftertaste. Could it really be possible that our beloved Kramatorsk and Sloviansk — heavily fortified yet so full of life — might be given up in exchange for empty promises? Could anyone really strongarm Ukraine into that?
“We’ll go swimming in the salt lakes of Sloviansk,” Yuri said before we set off. “I’ve never been there.” We all heard the unspoken words that followed in his mind. In this constant carousel of emotions, we were still excited about delivering the quads, even though the logistics were a nightmare. The van with its massive trailer was difficult to handle, and the road from Kramatorsk to the units defending west of Pokrovsk is deadly. We had to plan an eight-hour detour to reach everyone: Kharkiv → Kramatorsk → Pavlograd (again via Kharkiv).
Our first quad deliveries from the CVR fundraiser in rainy Pavlograd. Logistical nightmare but ever so welcome. Paid for by the CVR fundraiser.
As always, we brought supplies both for trusted units we regularly support and for new ones we hadn’t worked with before. And as always, we were struck by their combination of cheerfulness and professionalism. When asked about the situation in Kramatorsk, they deflected — focusing instead on what they can control: their tasks, their successes, and meeting challenges with their own inventiveness. Their ability to do so much with so little is astonishing. The photos that follow give a glimpse of this journey.
Donate here for the Drone Pilots of Kramatorsk: https://donorbox.org/fortresskramatorsk
Defending Fortress Kramatorsk - Birds for our "Pilot Cats" (with 100% Matching from a Generous Donor)
In this critical moment, we want to begin our new fundraiser for the drone pilots of Kramatorsk with a metaphor: Once upon a time, pilgrims wrote of a monastery in Cyprus where cats waged an unceasing war against venomous snakes. The fields were so infested that no man could walk there safely. The cats were scared, maimed, but unbroken and went out at the call of a bell, again and again, to defend their home. Today, on Ukraine’s eastern front, history echoes. Kramatorsk is our fortress: a living city, a vital stronghold, a place of hills, defenses, and unyielding spirit. And now some people want to trade this fortress town for .... nothing. But Kramatorsk has already been torn once from the claws of the Russian beast – it must never surrender again.
Once more, it is the Cats who defend it. This is what the Ukrainian soldiers are lovingly called by volunteers - the “cats” of Kramatorsk. They fight scarred and sleepless, but never broken. And they do not fight alone: they have their birds – the drones that scout, strike, and guard the skies above the fortress. Our new fundraiser is for them: the Cats and their birds. We aim to equip the most effective units and help hold the fortress – 93rd, 25th, AZOV, 79th, SOF, 82nd, LYUT, and more – with what truly makes a difference: drones of all shapes and sizes, power stations, antennas, and all the basics to keep them sharp and connected.
And now, we bring you epic news: a matching donor (who decided to stay anonymous) stands with us. Every dollar you give will be doubled! We set our first goal at $300,000 (including matching), but should we surpass it, our donor will still match your generosity. This is the hour when the bell rings. The defenders of Kramatorsk are gathering once more to fight. Stand with them. Give them the tools to win. Help the Cats hold their fortress, and let their birds take flight.
Donate here for the Drone Pilots of Kramatorsk: https://donorbox.org/fortresskramatorsk
Great Success - “UAO & CVR against fibre-optic FPV drones” Delivers
This June, in collaboration with YouTube channel and community Combat Veteran Reacts, our goal was to raise $200,000 for various types of protection from fibre-optic FPV drones - collimator sights for shotguns to take down drones, quad bikes to facilitate evasive front line movements, and nets to cover logistics routes and dugouts. We did not only reach this aim, but already delivered a big piece of the promised help into the hands of our frontline defenders (see also photos above and below).
We are very grateful for this strong support from various social media channels! The truth is: Only if the supporters of Ukraine from all over the world stand together, we can really make an impact and scale up our support! Thank you all for this great achievement.
More protective nets against fibre-optic drones. Nets donated by several Dutch organisations were delivered to critical places near the frontlines. UAO helped among others with coordinating the deliveries.
The 82nd Air Assault Brigade received this Quad bike with a trailer for quick transport near the frontline - thanks to the common CVR campaign.
Time to celebrate - Ukraine’s 34th Independence Day
24th August marked Ukraine’s day of independence as a modern sovereign state, constituted in 1991 by decision of the Verkhovna Rada - after the Soviet Union disintegrated - a highly resilient nation that is going strong into its 35th year, against all odds. Modern day Ukraine rests on the shoulders of many long and short lived predecessors - from the Kievan Rus in the 9th century onwards, via the Cossack Hetmanate under Ottoman and Polish influence, to the Ukrainian People’s Republic that emerged from the Bolshevik revolution of 1917, to name just the more prominent ones.
Since the 2022 full-scale invasion by Russia, Independence Day has acquired new and somber meanings. It became a day of nation-wide remembrance of the fallen, an expression of gratitude to the valiant defenders of Ukraine. Events around the world show that it also inspires others in their pursuit of freedom and justice, human rights that have to be fought for, again and again. For anyone who is interested in the astonishing history of the people and lands that eventually became modern day Ukraine, Serhii Plokhy’s “The Gates of Europe” is not only a very comprehensive book, but also a highly entertaining read.
Donate here for the Drone Pilots of Kramatorsk: https://donorbox.org/fortresskramatorsk
Near Barvinkove in Izyum raion, also nature celebrates Ukraine’s independence
Thank you for standing strong with Ukraine. Together we will win this war!
Sincerely, the UAO volunteer team.
Heroyam Slava!