May 2024 Update - Eastern front deliveries & Victory Gallery News
Dear supporters of Ukraine,
This newsletter certainly lives up to its name: After months of delay in the House of Representatives, long awaited and very substantial military aid will now reach Ukraine, and first deliveries of materiel and ammunition are already on their way to the front lines. Since October, the situation became more and more perilous, and the current lines of defence, while support is shipped and distributed, remain on the brink and are fiercely embattled. With the $61 billion U.S. military aid package, however, our valiant friends in the AFU now stand a real chance to counteract the Russian advances, possibly even liberating recently occupied hamlets and villages. Nevertheless - like you can read below - aid in the form of drones and other equipment from charities like UAO is still highly needed!
Your UAO Volunteer Team
Please support the 21st Battalion of the Presidential Brigade
Last month Rima and Yuri visited the heroes of the 21st Battalion of the Presidential Brigade on the eastern front. The 21st currently holds the defence in the Mariinka direction - a dangerous battle zone where the stakes are high, and where support is required more than ever. When the team found out about the battalion’s most urgent needs - particularly about life-saving drone jammers, UAO offered immediate support. So, when we contemplated our next unit fundraiser, the fearless fighters of the 21st stood out as absolute priority!
Soldiers of the 21st Battalion of the Presidential Brigade participated in combat operations in the east of Ukraine already since 2014. They protected their motherland in Debaltseve, Shchasta, Popasnaya, Savur-Mohyla, Stanytsia Luhanska, Mariupol, Shirokyny, and other places. From February to March 2022, the battalion successfully participated in battles against the Russian invaders during the defence of Kyiv and its suburbs. After the victory in the battle for Kyiv, the brigade was involved in combat in the east of Ukraine, particularly near Kharkiv, Bakhmut and Avdiivka. Please consider supporting these valiant fighters in one of the most fiercely contested battle zones.
As a sign of our gratitude, we offer the following special items to those who donate:
$250 - 21st Battalion patch
$500 - 21st Battalion pin
$750 - 21st Battalion coin
$1,000 - signed 21st Battalion flag
Donate here for the 21st: https://donorbox.org/uao-support-a-unit-21pres
FPV drones, Starlinks… deliveries by Yuri and Rima in the East
While everyone waits for the long overdue US military support to arrive, Yuri and Rima support military units in the East to hold the front lines. The lack of shells is currently one of the most dramatic problems of undersupply, and so, many units “replaced” shells by using FPV drones against the ongoing Russian assaults. FPV drones are mainly provided by volunteer organisations such as UAO. The team, with Yuri and Rima, focused specifically on deliveries to the eastern front lines in the previous week to provide essential support to combat the recent Russian advances. From your generous donations to our previous fundraisers, the team delivered equipment such as FPV drones, Mavics, Starlinks, generators, Ecoflows, ear protection, helmets, and more worth over 50.000$ (!). To name just a few units which we supported during the previous 3 weeks: 117th Brigade, 79th Brigade, 54th Brigade, 56th Brigade, Rubizh Brigade, 81st Brigade, 30th Brigade, 5th Assault Brigade, and more!
These critical deliveries were possible thanks to your support.
Exciting news from the UAO Victory Gallery: A 61% “US Aid” discount and a very unique item from “Within Temptation”
For many of you Ukraine supporters from all around the world, our UAO Victory Gallery has become the go-to spot for memorabilia of this war not available anywhere else. Supplied by different Ukrainian artists, the Victory Gallery offers exclusive items of art, using Russian remains as a canvas – shells, helmets, parts from destroyed tanks or aircraft, and much else – collected on the battlefield by our fearless friends defending the front lines.
The man behind the Victory Gallery is founder, curator, and volunteer Lenny. When asked about how it all began, his aim was rather ambitious: “Originally, I was looking at the possibility of sending an entire tank to collectors in the U.S. That idea proved a bit difficult, so I decided to focus on smaller items instead, turning Russian scraps into art.” In collaboration with artists in Ukraine, Lenny always comes up with new ideas: “A large portion of things I create, frequently after watching photographs or videos of the latest news from the front lines. Occasionally, artists come up with their own ideas.” Thinking about new items for the Victory Gallery, Lenny hints at something special: “We are planning a series of painted shells thanking the many nations that have supported Ukraine, starting with a shell featuring the Statue of Liberty, to be released on the day President Biden allocated $61 billion to Ukraine.” Please see this latest item for yourself, available now.
To celebrate the $61 billion US aid package, there is a unique Victory Gallery offer! U.S.-themed pieces of art (Statue of Liberty on a 30 mm shell and tank parts). Secure your 61% discount with the code: TEAMLIBERTY
All other items are offered at a 16% discount with the code: TEAMUKRAINE
Go to the Victory Gallery here: https://ukraineaidops.org/pages/gallery
Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation donates Russian music streaming revenue to UAO
Many of you may know that the Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation is a steadfast supporter of Ukraine and UAO. The band that already had ties to Ukraine from before the Russian full-scale invasion, has become even stronger in its condemnation of Russian aggression and terror. To support Ukraine in its existential struggle, Within Temptation recorded the video for their latest release “Fool’s Parade” during a visit to Kyiv in March 2024. Also, in a true twist of irony, Within Temptation realised that their music is frequently streamed by Russian listeners, and so these not insubstantial proceeds are now donated to UAO. In other words, Russians are involuntarily co-financing the life-saving and tactical equipment UAO provides. Within Temptation’s Sharon den Adel and Robert Westerholt said: “We still have many fans in Russia, they are ashamed of the war and let us know that. We find it appropriate that the income they generate by streaming our music goes straight to the defence of Ukraine.”
What is more, they signed a truly stunning cross-stitch embroidered map of Ukraine (handmade by one of our volunteers) for our UAO Victory Gallery.
“Know the gear” - Night Vision Devices
As part of our new newsletter series “Know the gear”, we provide more details about the equipment we provide, so that you know what we do with your donations. This time: night vision devices.
Description and how we buy them:
Night vision devices are essential for all Ukrainian front line units, enabling effective clandestine operations even in absolute darkness. They enable the identification of enemy movements from considerable distances, providing a crucial edge in critical operational scenarios. Through analog or electrical amplification of even the faintest of light, night vision devices produce reasonably clear and bright images, empowering Ukrainian forces to move and fight in nighttime combat with heightened situational awareness, as well as reducing life-threatening risk. UAO buys night vision devices from both your general contributions as well as your donations to our night vision devices fundraiser.
Night-Vision Fundraiser: https://donorbox.org/night-vision-fundraiser
Why is the item essential?
Enhanced Situational Awareness: Night vision devices allow soldiers to see in low-light or nighttime conditions, providing them with enhanced situational awareness on the battlefield. This allows them to detect threats, obstacles, and targets that would otherwise be invisible.
Operational Advantage: By operating at night, military units can gain a strategic advantage over enemies who may not have the same level of night vision capabilities. This allows for stealthier movement and surprise attacks.
Reduced Casualties: With the ability to see in the dark, troops can navigate hazardous terrain more safely, reducing the risk of accidents and casualties during nighttime operations.
Increased Effectiveness: Night vision devices enable soldiers to engage enemy forces during hours of darkness, increasing the effectiveness of military operations and extending the timeframe for conducting missions.
Search and Rescue: Night vision devices are also crucial for search and rescue missions, allowing personnel to locate and assist individuals in distress during nighttime or low-visibility conditions.
Thank you for standing strong with Ukraine. Together, we will win this war!
Sincerely, the UAO volunteer team.
Heroyam Slava!