The Fight to Save a Leg: How Ukrainian and American Surgeons Helped One Soldier Walk Again

Published: July 28, 2026

An FPV drone attack left 23-year-old Ukrainian servicemember Oleksii with a devastating leg injury. One of his fellow soldiers was killed, and others were seriously wounded. For Oleksii, the question was not only whether he would survive, but whether he would ever walk again.

What followed was months of treatment across three hospitals and an extraordinary collaboration between Ukrainian and American surgeons working side by side through Razom’s Co-Pilot Project. Together, they fought to save his leg, giving him the chance to return to the life he had been planning before the attack.

DNIPRO, Ukraine — “My future mother-in-law was supposed to visit on Sunday,” Oleksii says with a smile, his tone as relaxed as if we were sitting in a sunlit kitchen sipping tea, rather than in the intensive care unit of Mechnikov Hospital.

In a few moments, he will describe open fractures, serious infections, dozens of operations, and months of rehabilitation. But first, he wants to talk about his wedding.

Oleksii was born in Cherkasy and lost his father when he was young. His mother raised three children in a small apartment in Kryvyi Rih. After trade school, he planned to work as an electrician at the local water utility. But a bureaucracy issue with his official residence registration brought him to a military enlistment office instead.

“Well, what else was I going to do?” he says with a shrug.

He entered compulsory military service at 19 and became a signalman—the person his fellow soldiers relied on when communications failed or battlefield maps needed updating.

By early 2024, Oleksii had been deployed to a combat brigade on the Lyman front. He later served in the Donbas and Sumy regions.

It was between rotations that he met his fiancée. The parents of one of his squad mates often brought homemade meals to the unit, and during one of those visits, Oleksii met their daughter. Ask when the friendship became something more, and he grins: “Now, everything is heading straight toward a wedding.”

He talks about it as though the celebration is just around the corner—even as artillery rumbles outside the hospital and metal fixation pins extend from his injured leg.

The Day Everything Changed

Oleksii and his unit were returning from an assignment. The road was familiar, and they thought the most dangerous part of the journey was behind them.

“Two FPV drones were waiting for us on the road,” Oleksii recalls. “An ambush.”

One drone hovered ahead while another chased their vehicle from behind. His teammate opened fire as they moved. Then came the explosion.

The vehicle slammed to a halt, and the men scrambled out onto the road. Oleksii tried to jump clear, but his right leg collapsed beneath him. “I thought I’d just taken a piece of shrapnel.” He tried to stand up again, but nothing worked. The blast had shattered a large section of bone.

Despite the shock, Oleksii managed to apply a tourniquet himself. Doctors later told him that the fragments had narrowly missed his main artery. That small margin made it possible to consider saving the leg.

Oleksii quickly turns the conversation away from himself. Instead, he lists the rest of his crew: one teammate died at the scene, another lost three fingers, and a third suffered a severe concussion.

“One guy is already back on active duty,” Oleksii says briefly. “The others are still recovering.”

What followed was a blur of evacuation points soaked in pain and high-dose painkillers: a frontline stabilization point in the Zaporizhzhia region, then a military hospital, external fixators, and finally, the intensive care unit at Mechnikov Hospital in Dnipro, one of Ukraine’s leading trauma centers for critically wounded soldiers.

Choosing to Fight for the Leg

“I remember Oleksii very clearly,” says orthopedic trauma surgeon Dr. Maksym Makarenko. Thousands of patients with blast injuries have passed through his operating room, but Oleksii’s case stood out.

“Patients with this level of damage often also have serious polytrauma—head injuries, collapsed lungs, or abdominal damage,” Dr. Makarenko explains. “In Oleksii’s case, the destruction was concentrated in his leg. The rest of his body was stable enough that we could fight to save the limb, rather than amputating it to save his life.”

Around this time, an American medical delegation arrived at Mechnikov through Razom’s Co-Pilot Project. Dr. Makarenko was joined in the operating room by Dr. Craig Silverton, an American orthopedic surgeon experienced in treating combat injuries.

The Ukrainian and American surgeons worked together through several procedures. They removed dead and infected tissue and placed an antibiotic cement spacer into the gap left by the missing bone. The spacer helped control infection while preparing the leg for future reconstruction.

Once Oleksii’s was stable, he was transferred to a hospital in Vinnytsia,freeing an intensive care bed at Mechnikov for newly wounded patients arriving hourly from the front.

Before he left, Oleksii and Dr. Makarenko exchanged phone numbers. Each week, Oleksii sent the surgeon X-rays, lab results, and photographs of his wound dressings through VIber. When doctors in Vinnytsia began discussing the possibility of sending him abroad for treatment, Oleksii contacted Dr. Makarenko.

“If you trust us, come back, the surgeon told him “We’ll be working with the American team again soon.”

“I’m coming to you,” Oleksii replied.

A Transatlantic Surgical Team

A few weeks later, Oleksii was back in Dnipro. This time, Dr. Makarenko was joined by Dr. Roman Hayda, an American orthopedic surgeon and U.S. Army veteran of Ukrainian descent. Dr. Hayda’s parents migrated to the U.S. after World War II and raised him with a strong connection to his Ukrainian heritage. He went on to treat combat injuries during decades of military service, including in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Given my heritage, military background, and experience with battle injuries, I simply couldn’t stay away,” says Dr. Hayda. Yet, he shies away from the word “mission,” careful not to describe his work in Ukraine as one-directional assistance

“I come to work alongside them, not to lecture,” he says. “Ukrainian doctors today possess a unique level of trauma experience found nowhere else in the world. We learn from each other.”

The night before Oleksii’s surgery, Dr. Makarenko and Dr. Hayda spent hours studying his x-rays and discussing possible approaches. There were no visiting experts on one side and local doctors on the other—only one surgical team trying to solve an extraordinarily difficult problem.

“Surgeries like this always carry immense uncertainty,” Dr. Hayda says. “Our job is to exhaust every option so the patient gets a real shot at returning to a normal life.”

Oleksii’s bone loss was severe. He had already endured infection, and further complications remained possible. No one could promise that the reconstruction would succeed.

“We worked toward this day for months,” Dr. Makarenko says. “More than anything, we wanted to give Oleksii the chance to stand on his own feet again.”

Photos of Everyone Else

Several months after the surgery, Oleksii’s leg has been saved. His recovery is not over, but he is making steady progress and now walks with one crutch.

“A surgeon’s greatest joy isn’t when the operation ends,” Dr. Makarenko smiles. “It’s when the patient takes their very first steps. That’s the moment you realize what all the work was for.”

For Dr. Hayda, Oleksii’s story reflects what the Co-Pilot Project is meant to be: not charity flowing in one direction, but a genuine partnership. American surgeons contribute techniques developed through decades of military medicine, while Ukrainian doctors bring unmatched experience treating large numbers of complex wartime injuries . Together, they are finding better ways to care for patients in Ukraine and beyond.

As we prepared to leave, we asked Oleksii whether he could share a few photos for this story. Without hesitation, he replied: “I have photos with my unit mates. I’ll send those.”

Not photos of himself. Photos of people who served beside him.

Throughout hours of conversation, Oleksii never complained about his pain or his circumstances. He spoke about his unit, his mother, his fiancée, the doctors who treated him in three different cities, and Nastya—a nurse who once surprised him in the ward with a homemade apple strudel.

Then his thoughts returned to his future mother-in-law and the wedding ahead. The months of intense effort by surgeons from two continents were never only about repairing bone and muscle. They were about helping a 23-year-old man reclaim the life the war nearly took from him – and giving him the chance to stand on his own two feet on his wedding day.

“Between Minutes and Eternity”: How a Stabilization Point Functions in War

Published: July 9, 2026

Our team visited a stabilization point near the front line — less than 20 kilometers from active combat zones. This is where wounded soldiers are brought after evacuation, and where medics work in a reality where only minutes often stand between life and death. We spoke with a surgeon, an anesthesiologist, and the medical team working there every day about what a stabilization point really looks like from the inside, why time remains the greatest challenge of this war, how telemedicine is saving lives under fire, and what the phrase “the golden hour” truly means on the modern battlefield.

Time That Does Not Exist: Evacuation and the Limits of Medicine

A stabilization point in war is not a hospital in the usual sense, nor simply an intermediate link between the battlefield and a hospital. It is a place where medicine functions under conditions in which time has already been lost — or nearly lost — and decisions must be made faster than normal human psychology allows. It is here that a wounded soldier who has been evacuated from the battlefield first reaches a team capable not only of stopping critical bleeding or relieving pain, but of stabilizing the patient enough to survive the next stage — transport, surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation.

Anesthesiologist Dmytro, who works at a stabilization point, speaks about his work without romanticizing it. There is no pathos in his words, although the reality he describes is stronger than any pathos. What troubles him most is not the complexity of injuries or the exhaustion of the team, but the fact that sometimes wounded soldiers cannot be evacuated from the battlefield in time. “The thing that upsets me the most is the inability to evacuate a wounded person from the battlefield in time,” he explains. “We know the person is wounded, we are ready, we have the conditions necessary to provide care, but sometimes evacuation from the battlefield either takes a very long time or does not happen at all.”

Military medicine often speaks about the “golden hour” — the critical period after injury during which the chance of survival is highest. But in this war, especially on certain sections of the front line, that formula does not always work. The doctor describes it almost bitterly: “As they say — the golden hour. For us, it’s a golden week.” There were cases when wounded soldiers remained in positions for too long, while medics could support them only remotely: dropping antibiotics by drone, consulting on what medications to administer, how to dilute them, what to do until evacuation became possible.

This is where one of the key realities of modern frontline medicine becomes visible: the problem is not always the absence of specialists, medications, or skills. Very often, the problem is that between the wounded soldier and the doctor lies the battlefield itself — drones, artillery, destroyed roads, weather, the absence of safe evacuation routes, and constant danger for evacuation teams. That is why a stabilization point works not only with the wounded body, but also with the consequences of delays that medicine itself cannot control.

Under these conditions, telemedicine stops being a modern buzzword from presentations and becomes a practical survival tool. Doctors consult combat medics and soldiers remotely, sometimes effectively directing care in real time. “We called and explained what to do: how to bandage, where to apply pressure, where to pack the wound,” recalls surgeon Yevhen. In one case, according to him, remote guidance made it possible to remove tourniquets, control bleeding, and save a limb. This does not replace evacuation and does not eliminate the need for surgery, but sometimes such remote support gives a person a chance to survive until help arrives.

Working at the Edge: Stabilization, Decisions, and Responsibility

When the wounded finally arrive at the stabilization point, the team must act quickly, but not mechanically. Stabilization is not a chaotic set of actions, nor an automatic process of “stitching someone up and sending them onward.” It is a complex process in which every step depends on the patient’s condition: whether the person is in shock, hypothermic, suffering from massive blood loss, whether blood pressure is stable, whether the body can tolerate intervention. “A soldier arrives soaked, cold, without pain management. He has to be undressed, laid down, dried off, warmed up, provided with anesthesiology support, stabilized in terms of blood pressure and other indicators. Only then can the surgical team work safely,” explains surgeon Yevhen.

That is why the amount of time spent at a stabilization point cannot fit into a single chart. If the patient is relatively stable, treatment may take 15–20 minutes. If the condition is severe, doctors may work for two or three hours. To civilians, that may sound like a long time, but for frontline medicine it is sometimes the only opportunity not to lose the patient before reaching the hospital. “Medicine is not always two plus two,” says the surgeon. “Everything depends on the patient’s condition, the extent of the injury, the amount of care required, and the stabilization measures needed.”

A particularly difficult topic is amputations and severe limb injuries. According to the doctor, stabilization points are not places for “planned” amputations in the hospital sense. If a limb is nonviable, the team does not attempt to make a final decision in conditions where not all capabilities are available. Their task is to stabilize the patient, avoid worsening the condition, preserve whatever may matter for future surgical work and prosthetics, and transfer the patient to the next level of care. “The hospital shapes the residual limb in a way that is more adapted for prosthetics,” explains Yevhen. “If we see that the limb is nonviable, we do not remove the tourniquet, we perform surgical debridement, stabilize the patient, and prepare them for transport.”

This is important to understand: a stabilization point is not a place of “final treatment.” It is a place where a wounded person must be moved from a state of catastrophe into a condition in which transport becomes possible. The patient’s story is not completed there — they are given a chance for it to continue. In this sense, the anesthesiologist’s role is one of the central ones: not simply “administering anesthesia,” but guiding the patient through the most dangerous interval — between uncontrolled post-traumatic condition and the possibility of surgical intervention.

War constantly destroys any sterile image of medicine. Patients may arrive on ATVs, improvised stretchers, covered in mud, soaked, freezing, after prolonged periods in frontline positions. The doctor recalls cases when a wounded soldier essentially “flew into” the stabilization point in a condition where only the eyes were visible, while everything else — mud, clothing, blood, exhaustion — blended together. The team cuts away clothing, pulls the person out, evaluates the condition, and starts working. This is the daily reality in which stabilization points exist: not under ideal protocols, but under the conditions of war, where every case brings a different scenario.

Impact and Systemic Change: From Experience to Standards

Despite this, medics speak not only about survival, but also about development. One of the recurring requests in these conversations is for more opportunities for training, professional exchange, conferences, workshops, and courses. This is not a “bonus” or abstract self-education. For people who work every day with the harshest consequences of war, development means better decisions, fewer mistakes, faster responses, and a greater chance of survival for patients. The conversation directly mentions the need for funding conferences, courses, visiting workshops, and exchanges with specialists.

Already in Ukraine, several educational initiatives are being launched or discussed: the ASET course, the future implementation of ATLS, work related to infection control, and educational initiatives connected to Razom Health. It is separately emphasized that infections in hospitals have become such a serious problem that they require an entire direction of work on their own. This is another indication that frontline medicine does not end at stabilization. A wounded person moves through a long chain, and the quality of every stage affects the outcome: from first aid at the position to evacuation, stabilization points, hospitals, infection control, rehabilitation, and return to life.

In this context, the Razom Heroes program plays a key role, working not with isolated cases but with the system as a whole. This includes the training of combat medics and instructors, equipping units, developing educational programs, and creating conditions in which frontline experience does not remain at the level of isolated stories, but is transformed into standards. It is through programs like these that a connection is formed between the reality of stabilization points and long-term systemic change: implementation of training courses, development of telemedicine, support for instructor programs, systematization of knowledge, and transfer of that knowledge to other units.

A stabilization point is a place where medicine looks least like a beautiful story and most like a struggle against time. Not everyone can always be saved there. It is not always possible to do what the doctor knows and is capable of doing, because sometimes the patient simply cannot arrive in time. Here, the “golden hour” can turn into days of waiting, while telemedicine becomes a temporary bridge between the battlefield and the physician. But it is here that the most important thing becomes visible: Ukrainian military medicine is not simply reacting to war — it is learning, adapting, creating new practices, and trying to turn the experience of every injury into knowledge that will help save the next patient.

And perhaps the most accurate way to describe the work of a stabilization point is not through heroic language, but in very practical terms: it is a place where people are given a chance to reach the next opportunity. To the hospital. To surgery. To a prosthetic. To rehabilitation. To life after injury.

That is why the main question for this system is not only how many medics work at stabilization points or what equipment they have. The main question is how to ensure that wounded soldiers reach them sooner, how to give doctors more time, how to make telemedicine systematic, how to make training continuous, and how to ensure that frontline experience is not lost in isolated stories, but transformed into standards.

Because in war, medicine often begins not when the patient reaches the operating table. It begins much earlier — at the moment when someone manages to bring them out alive.

When Culture, Medicine, and Daily Life Come Under Fire

Published: July 2, 2026

In Ukraine, war does not only come through the front line. It shows in the stairwells blackened by fire, children carried to shelters at night, medics saving neighbors even when their own emergency stations are damaged, artists returning to homes that no longer exist.

On the night of July 2, Kyiv once again woke up to explosions. People rushed into metro stations, basements, and hallways. They hid their children, called loved ones, and waited for news from neighborhoods where buildings were burning and rescuers were already at work.

It was one of the largest combined attacks on the capital: missiles and drones struck the city in waves. Nearly 20 people were killed and dozens were injured. Among those hurt were children, residents of apartment buildings, and emergency medical workers. Homes, cars, medical infrastructure, historic buildings, and places connected to Ukrainian culture were damaged.

In Kyiv’s Shevchenkivskyi district, the apartment of cultural manager Iryna Plekhova, director of the Lira cinema, and filmmaker and screenwriter Oleh Chornyi burned down. Their building is historic, long connected to workers of the Oleksandr Dovzhenko Film Studio and their families. Two sections of the building burned completely. During the evacuation, Iryna and Oleh helped two elderly neighbors get out.

The home of filmmaker Iryna Tsilyk was damaged for the sixth time. The courtyard of Vadym Miskyi, program director at Detector Media, was also hit. These were not only damaged walls. They were places where people lived, created, preserved memories, and built Ukraine’s cultural life.

On this same day, the attack destroyed the central storage facility of the BookChef publishing house that held nearly 800 thousand books.

Civilian emergency medicine also came under attack. In Kyiv, an emergency medical station was damaged. Ambulance workers — medics and drivers — were injured, and ambulances were damaged. The people who are first to rush toward danger to save others became victims of the attack themselves.

Kyiv was not alone. Communities in the Zaporizhzhia region endured hundreds of strikes in a single day, including FPV drone attacks. In Kharkiv and the surrounding region, civilians were killed, including a 15-year-old boy, and dozens of people were injured. In the Dnipro region, drones damaged homes, cars, gas stations, and other civilian infrastructure.

On nights like this, the work of those who arrive first becomes especially visible: the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, police, medics, volunteer teams, and rapid response groups.

That night, Matviy Suslov, Razom’s Tactical Medicine Project Manager, worked in Kyiv alongside these response teams. They helped move people rescued from the rubble to safer areas and provided first aid to civilians.

“The shelling was so dense and massive that we had to move in small leaps, hide in underpasses, or quickly leave dangerous areas by car,” Matviy said. Near Lukianivka, after one of the explosions, the car doors jammed. “We were lucky the door issue was resolved quickly”.

What stayed with him most was a couple who approached and asked what had happened to their home. Their building was burning. In their eyes, he saw confusion, grief, and the disbelief of people trying to understand how life could change in a single moment.

Matvii also emphasized the work of the State Emergency Service and the police at the strike sites. For the Razom team, it was another reminder of why it is so important to strengthen the institutions that are first to stand beside people after an attack: through prehospital care training, essential medical supplies, and the ability to respond in the first critical minutes.

In moments like these, this work is not abstract. It is about real skills, real people, and real lives — Ukrainians and visitors to the country — that can be saved when help arrives in time.

Russia continues to strike civilians, children, medics, cultural workers, and families in their own homes. Ukraine continues to endure because people keep showing up for one another, even after the darkest nights.

Ukraine’s Future Is Growing Up During War

Published: June 17, 2026

“Ukrainian kids are creative and talented.
They’re camping out down in the metro, drawing, playing
and believing in a happy, peaceful life. So we have to provide them with that life.”
— Serhiy Zhadan

“Freedom is generational work. For children to grow up free,
the necessary institutions and policies must already be in place.”
— Timothy Snyder

Ukraine’s future is not waiting for the war to end.

It is growing up right now – in classrooms interrupted by air raid sirens, in frontline towns where schools are closed, in summer camps where children can laugh with friends again, in STEM labs where students are building robots, and in youth programs where young people are learning how to lead, work, create, and stay connected to their communities.

For children and young people in Ukraine, the war has taken too much: safety, routine, school years, friendships, homes, and plans for the future.

But it has not taken away their curiosity. Their talent. Their courage. Their need for joy. Or their right to imagine a life in Ukraine.

This summer, when you support Razom, you support work that helps Ukrainian children and young people keep learning, building skills, finding community, and experiencing moments of childhood even during war.

Make a gift today to help Ukraine’s next generation grow, lead, and thrive.

A Summer That Gives More Than a Break

For a child in Ukraine, summer camp can mean more than games, songs, and time outside.

It can mean sleeping in a safe place for a few days. It can mean laughing without feeling guilty.

It can mean meeting other kids who understand. It can mean remembering that they are more than what war has taken from them.

For teenagers, summer can be a chance to try something new, build confidence, discover a career path, join a team, or take part in a project that helps their own community.

These moments matter. Because Ukraine does not only need its young people to survive the war. Ukraine needs them to see a future worth staying for.

Why This Matters

Across Ukraine, young people are growing up under extraordinary pressure. Schools have been damaged or forced online. Families have been displaced. Parents are serving, working, grieving, or rebuilding. Many young Ukrainians are asking themselves whether they can build a life at home at all.

That question matters for Ukraine’s future.

Razom’s youth work is built around a simple belief: young Ukrainians need real opportunities now — not someday after victory, not someday after recovery, but now.

They need safe places to gather. They need hands-on learning. They need mentors. They need practical skills. They need joy, friendship, and a break. They need to know that their country still has room for their dreams.

Your gift helps make that possible.

What Your Gift Makes Possible

1. Help young Ukrainians keep learning

War has disrupted education across Ukraine, especially in frontline and underserved communities. Many students have limited access to hands-on learning, equipment, or safe spaces where they can gather with peers.

Razom supports STEM labs, mobile learning hubs, teacher training, advanced academic camps, robotics programs, and opportunities for Ukrainian students to compete and excel at olympiads internationally.

In 2025, Razom-supported STEM initiatives reached approximately 9,500 students across over 25 local learning centers, helping young people explore robotics, engineering, physics, astronomy, and applied science.

Your gift helps students keep learning in a country where education itself has become an act of resilience.

War should not determine a child’s potential.

Razom supports programs that help students continue learning, developing new skills, and pursuing their interests despite disruptions caused by war.

In 2025 alone:

9,500 students participated in STEM education programs
760 students attended advanced mathematics and physics camps
25+ STEM clubs and learning spaces received support
250+ teachers received training

Today, students supported through these programs are competing in international Olympiads, participating in robotics competitions, and preparing for careers that will help shape Ukraine’s future.

2. Help children experience joy, safety, and belonging

For children living through war, joy is not extra. It is part of recovery.

A summer camp, a youth center, a sports field, a creative workshop, or a weekend with peers can give children something they badly need: a chance to breathe.

Razom supports programs that create spaces where children and teenagers can gather safely, build friendships, discover new interests, explore who they are, and feel connected to others.

These programs do not erase the war. But they give young people moments of normalcy, confidence, and care.

Your gift helps Ukrainian children experience childhood, even when war is trying to steal it.

3. Help young people lead in their own communities

Young Ukrainians are not only recipients of help. They are already rebuilding.

Razom supports youth leadership programs that help young people organize local projects, volunteer, restore community spaces, participate in school governance, and take active roles in civic life.

Through one Razom-supported partnership with Building Ukraine Together (BUR), young leaders helped mobilize hundreds of volunteers and restore community spaces in frontline and high-need regions, including youth centers and rehabilitation spaces.

Your gift helps young Ukrainians become the people their communities can count on.

This work helps young Ukrainians build confidence, direction, and a reason to stay connected to their country’s future.

Your gift helps young people turn possibility into a plan.

This is the future Ukraine is fighting for. Help protect it.

4. Help young Ukrainians build a future at home

One of the biggest threats to Ukraine’s future is that young people may feel they have no future there.

That is why Razom supports programs that connect young people to mentorship, career exploration, entrepreneurship, internships, and practical skills they can use in real life.

Through Razom-supported programs, thousands of young people have accessed career training, mentorship, business development, and professional networks. In one program, young people from small towns and frontline areas developed career and business ideas, received mentorship, and presented youth-led startups for seed funding.

We Also Fight for the Children Russia Tried to Erase

As Razom helps young Ukrainians learn, lead, and grow, we also continue to advocate for the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.

More than 20,000 cases have been officially documented, with many more children still at risk. Razom has worked to keep this issue visible in U.S. policy conversations, public advocacy, media, and community action — including through the Bring Kids Back campaign and the teddy bear installation on the National Mall.

Because every Ukrainian child deserves to come home.
And every Ukrainian child deserves a future.

Russia’s war has also targeted Ukraine’s children directly. While the world often hears the figure of 20,000 documented deported children, the reality is much broader. Millions of Ukrainian children remain under Russian occupation, where they face forced assimilation, militarization, and efforts to erase their Ukrainian identity.

Razom continues to advocate for Ukraine’s children, support efforts to bring them home, and keep this issue at the center of public and policy conversations.

Every Ukrainian child deserves the right to grow up with their family, in their community, and in a free Ukraine.

Here is How You Can Help

50 USD

enables a child from the frontline community to take part in a national science competition

125 USD

covers the cost of one volunteer’s participation in a BUR camp, where they help rebuild communities in Ukraine

250 USD

provides training in entrepreneurship in a 5 month program for one teenager from a small Ukrainian community

Stand with Ukraine’s next generation.

Together, we can help ensure that Ukraine’s future has every opportunity to succeed.

Investing in Ukraine’s Future: How Math Olympiads Help Children Learn, Dream, and Stay Connected

Published: June 17, 2026

Despite the war, air raid sirens, and constant challenges, Ukrainian children continue to learn, explore the world, and achieve remarkable success. That is why Razom has long supported educational initiatives that help students develop their talents and discover new opportunities for growth and learning.

Over the past several months, Razom has supported several mathematics-focused projects for children across Ukraine, including the “Cyfryata” Olympiad, the Yulia Zdanovska All-Ukrainian Mathematics Olympiad for Grades 5–7, and the family competition “Mathematical Nest.” These events brought together hundreds of participants from different regions of the country, giving children the opportunity not only to demonstrate their knowledge but also to feel part of a larger community of like-minded peers.

First Steps into the World of Mathematics

For many students, the “Cyfryata” Olympiad is their first introduction to the world of mathematical competitions. It helps children discover that mathematics is not only about formulas learned in school, but also about creativity, logic, and finding innovative solutions.

Such initiatives are especially important during wartime, when many children study remotely and have fewer opportunities for in-person interaction and extracurricular activities.

An Olympiad That Continues Yulia Zdanovska’s Legacy

Among the projects supported by Razom, a special place belongs to the Yulia Zdanovska All-Ukrainian Mathematics Olympiad, named in honor of the talented Ukrainian mathematician and volunteer whose life was tragically taken by a Russian missile strike in 2022.

Today, her name inspires a new generation of Ukrainian children to learn, set ambitious goals, and believe in their own potential. This year, the Olympiad brought together 93 young mathematicians from across Ukraine.

Among them was Karolina Petrushova from Kramatorsk, the only participant representing Donetsk Oblast. For children from frontline regions, where education often takes place remotely, such a trip means much more than simply participating in a competition.

“Before traveling to Kyiv, I was very nervous, but at the same time excited about the opportunity to attend such an Olympiad. What I remember most was the atmosphere, because children from different cities across Ukraine gathered there, all sharing a love for mathematics. It was exciting to talk with them and solve problems together,” Karolina recalls.

Like many children in Kramatorsk, Karolina studies remotely. Her trip to Kyiv gave her not only the chance to participate in the Olympiad, but also to visit the capital, explore the Museum of Mathematics, and meet peers who share her passion.

“I enjoyed both the Olympiad and Kyiv. I came home with many new impressions and even more motivation to continue studying mathematics. I sincerely thank the organizers, partners, and everyone who supports talented children in Ukraine and creates opportunities like these for us,” Karolina wrote after returning home.

Another participant was Bohdan Zavhorodskyi from Kherson. For children living in a city that endures daily Russian attacks, even the journey to Kyiv can be challenging.

Yet Bohdan remembers the trip with the resilience and optimism that characterize so many Ukrainian children:

“We got there just fine. The Shahed drones didn’t stop us.”

For him, the most valuable part of the experience was meeting children from different parts of Ukraine and feeling connected to a broader mathematical community. He already plans to participate again next year.

His mother also emphasized that events like these are important not only for education but also for building connections among children from different regions of the country.

“We are deeply grateful to all the donors and supporters who contributed to this wonderful Olympiad and made it possible for children from across Ukraine to come together. We learned so much, gained valuable experience, and are returning home with a large circle of new friends.”

When Mathematics Becomes a Family Affair

Another project supported by Razom was the “Mathematical Nest” competition. For more than ten years, it has brought together children, parents, and entire families through a shared love of mathematics.

Unlike traditional Olympiads, “Mathematical Nest” is built around collaboration and collective problem-solving. This format helps foster a culture of learning not only among children but also within families and local communities.

Education as an Investment in Ukraine’s Recovery

Each of these initiatives serves a different audience and follows a unique format, but they all share a common goal: helping children realize their potential regardless of where they live or the challenges they face.

For participants, these experiences provide new friendships, inspiration, confidence, and the understanding that even during wartime, knowledge, talent, and perseverance remain powerful assets.

By investing in education today, we are investing in the future scientists, engineers, teachers, entrepreneurs, and leaders who will rebuild Ukraine tomorrow.

Russia Is Not Only Attacking People. It Is Attacking Ukraine’s Memory, Culture, and Identity.

Published: June 16, 2026

On the night of June 15, Russia launched one of its largest attacks in recent months.

More than 70 missiles and 611 Russian-Iranian drones were fired across Ukraine, with over 60 missiles targeting Kyiv.

The attack once again claimed civilian lives and caused extensive damage to residential neighborhoods and civilian infrastructure. But its consequences extend far beyond physical destruction.

An Attack on the Heart of Ukraine’s Faith, Culture, and History

That same night, Russia struck something that cannot be quickly rebuilt or replaced.

Ukraine’s cultural heritage came under attack.

One of the most painful symbols of this assault was the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

Founded in 1051, the Lavra is one of Europe’s oldest monastic complexes and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For nearly a thousand years, it has remained a spiritual, historical, and cultural center of Ukraine.

For millions of Ukrainians, the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is far more than an architectural landmark. Generations have come here to pray, seek comfort, celebrate life’s milestones, and preserve a connection to their history. The site houses sacred relics, manuscripts, religious artworks, and centuries of cultural memory.

As a result of Russia’s attack, parts of the Lavra complex were damaged, and a fire broke out in the Dormition Cathedral.

“Once again, we see these barbaric acts committed by Russians, for whom nothing is sacred. It is horrifying that while calling themselves Christians, they strike at the very heart of our people. Once again, this reveals exactly who we are dealing with,” said the Vicar of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra following the attack.

The damage to the Lavra serves as another reminder that this war is not only directed against Ukrainian cities and communities.

It is directed against Ukrainian identity itself.

Culture Under Fire

During the same attack, Russia damaged Mystetskyi Arsenal, one of Ukraine’s most important cultural institutions. The Arsenal hosts international exhibitions, educational programs, major artistic initiatives, and the country’s largest annual book festival.

Reflecting on the attack, Mystetskyi Arsenal Director General Olesia Ostrovska-Liuta drew a striking historical parallel:

“It is remarkable that the Russian drone struck the exact same location that was hit by a Nazi bomb during World War II. It is some kind of mystical coincidence — perhaps the souls of aggressors united?”

Russian strikes also damaged the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Film Studio, the birthplace of Ukrainian cinema.

According to the studio’s officials, its primary costume archive was destroyed. Approximately 100,000 costumes and priceless archival materials documenting decades of Ukrainian film history were lost.

“Costumes from such iconic films as Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors, The Lost Letter, and Bohdan Khmelnytsky were stored here. Now this building has been completely destroyed — there is practically nothing left,” said studio director Andriy Donchyk.

Other cultural institutions damaged during the attack include the Kharkiv Art Museum and the House of Organ and Chamber Music in Dnipro.

And all of this happened in a single night.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has systematically targeted Ukraine’s cultural heritage. According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture, as of May 2026, 1,783 cultural heritage sites and 2,540 cultural infrastructure facilities have been damaged or destroyed across the country.

UNESCO has independently verified damage to at least 534 cultural sites, including museums, libraries, historic landmarks, archaeological sites, and more than 150 religious buildings.

These figures reveal a disturbing reality: Russia is waging war not only against Ukraine’s cities and communities, but also against its historical memory, culture, and identity.

They Came to the Rescue

That same night, Russia once again demonstrated its complete disregard for human life.

In Kharkiv, five emergency responders from Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (DSNS) were killed.

After an initial strike on a civilian industrial facility, emergency crews arrived to assist victims and assess the damage.

They were doing what they have done every day since the start of the full-scale invasion: searching for survivors, helping the wounded, extinguishing fires, and protecting communities.

After receiving warnings of a possible second strike, the rescuers left the facility and moved to another location, following safety protocols.

Moments later, a second missile struck near where they had gathered.

Five emergency responders were killed instantly.

Several others were injured.

“One of the missiles struck approximately 30 meters from the rescuers, who had managed to leave the facility and were standing in a wooded area near the fence. Unfortunately, the missile struck directly at those who save lives,” said Bohdan Hladkykh, Director of Kharkiv’s Department of Emergency Situations.

These men were not soldiers. They were not engaged in combat. They had come to save civilian lives.

Russia’s double-tap strikes have become one of the most dangerous and deliberate tactics of this war. After an initial attack, emergency responders, medics, and rescue crews arrive at the scene. A second strike then follows.

The targets are the people helping others.

Since the first day of the full-scale invasion, Razom has supported emergency responders, firefighters, medics, and rescue teams across Ukraine. They are often the first to arrive after an attack and the last to leave once the rescue operation is complete.

Their service is a service to life itself.

That is why the deaths of these five rescuers in Kharkiv represent a tragedy not only for their families and colleagues, but for all of Ukraine.

The Goal Is Not Only Destruction

When emergency responders are killed while trying to save others, it is an attack on humaneness.

When the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is damaged, it is an attack on spiritual heritage.

When film archives are destroyed and museums are struck, it is an attack on cultural memory.

All of these acts are part of a larger pattern.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has damaged or destroyed hundreds of religious and cultural sites across Ukraine. Churches, museums, theaters, libraries, archives, and historic landmarks have all come under attack.

These are not accidental losses.

They are not unavoidable consequences of war.

They are systematic attacks on the foundations of Ukrainian identity and resilience.

When humaneness, culture and faith are targeted, the goal is not simply destruction.

The goal is erasure.

Why This Matters to All of Us

Cultural heritage does not belong to one nation alone.

When a UNESCO World Heritage Site is damaged, when museum collections are destroyed, or when irreplaceable archives are lost, humanity loses a part of its shared history.

That is why protecting Ukrainian culture is not solely a Ukrainian issue.

It is a matter of preserving memory, history, and values that transcend borders.

At Razom, we work every day to ensure that Ukrainian stories continue to be seen, heard, and understood around the world. We document attacks on Ukrainian culture, amplify the voices of those defending their communities, and ensure that the world does not look away from efforts to erase an entire nation’s heritage.

Today, we honor the memory of the five DSNS rescuers who lost their lives while serving others.

We also remind the world of the churches, museums, archives, and cultural institutions that Russia continues to attack.

Ukraine continues to resist.
And as long as there are people saving lives, preserving culture, and telling the truth, Ukraine can never be erased.

Razom for Ukraine Joined Ukraine’s Premier Annual Emergency Medicine Championship

Published: June 11, 2026

The Razom Health team participated in the 12th Ukrainian Emergency Medical Care Championship, Vinnytsia Medical Rally 2026 — the largest competition for emergency medical professionals.

This year, 29 teams from across Ukraine, along with international participants from Poland and Lithuania, took part in the championship. Over the course of two days, medics worked through more than 50 simulation scenarios in highly realistic conditions, ranging from mass casualty incidents to cardiopulmonary resuscitation in smoke-filled environments.

For the Razom Health team, the championship provided an opportunity to engage directly with emergency medical leaders and practitioners from seven frontline regions of Ukraine. A key focus of these conversations was the urgent need for alternative communication systems for emergency medical teams operating under the constant threat of losing connectivity. The next step will be the signing of cooperation memorandums to support these efforts.

The team also had the opportunity to assess the impact of Razom’s POCUS initiative, which trains healthcare providers to use portable ultrasound devices in pre-hospital settings. Razom representatives spoke with medics, instructors, and service leadership about how the program is being implemented in practice.

“We sincerely thank Razom for providing equipment that enables ultrasound examinations in ambulances. Our teams use it regularly, and it greatly helps us determine the most effective treatment strategy for patients. These tools save lives. The training organized by Razom has been incredibly valuable, and we continue to pass this knowledge on to our colleagues,” said Eduard Kika, Medical Director of the Odesa Regional Center for Emergency Medical Care and Disaster Medicine.

During the opening ceremony, representatives of Razom for Ukraine welcomed participants and recognized the critical role of emergency medical professionals across the country.

“It is incredibly important for Razom for Ukraine to stand alongside you — the people who make life-saving decisions every day. We are here not only as partners, but also to better understand the realities you face and the support you need. We wish every team success, but above all, we hope this championship strengthens collaboration, creates opportunities for learning, and reinforces the pride we all share in Ukraine’s emergency medical service,” said Olena Teryaieva, Program Manager at Razom Health.

Event participation helped us better understand how emergency medical service teams operate in wartime conditions. We had our first conversation with the medical director of the relocated Emergency Medical Care Center of Luhansk region and learned from his experience in evacuating injured civilians. We also discussed the issue of retaining medical staff with the head of the HR department at the Zaporizhzhia Emergency Medical Care Center.

The championship winners were the Emergency Medical Care Centers of Odesa Oblast, Kirovohrad Oblast, and Vinnytsia Oblast. The national team of the Republic of Poland was recognized as the best international team. The total prize fund exceeded €350,000, and the winners received certificates granting them participation in the international Rallye Rejviz championship in the Czech Republic in 2027.

“Everyone can do something”: restoring faces — and lives — during war in Ukraine

Published: April 20, 2026

This spring, Lviv hosted the sixth Face to Face mission — a surgical program of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), implemented by Razom as part of the Co-Pilot project.

Over the course of seven days, a team of seven surgeons — Parag Gandhi, Grigoriy Mashkevich, Augustine Moscatello, John Frodel, Ryan Daniel Winters, Ivanna Nebor, Boris Chernobilsky — alongside ten nurses, including Susan Ketigian, Viktoriya Ygreen, Yurij Tsuvanyk, Jamie Harold Orange, Emmett Joseph Harty Jr, Maribel Caraballo, Andrew Kostyaniuk and Tashina Morgenstern, worked at the Military Medical Clinical Center of the Western Region together with their Ukrainian colleagues. They operated on patients with some of the most complex facial injuries caused by the war.

The work began with consultations: in just one day, doctors examined 55 patients and selected 40 for surgery. Starting the next morning, operating rooms ran at full capacity from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. For four consecutive days, the team carried out reconstructive procedures across three specialties — ophthalmology, otolaryngology, and maxillofacial surgery. These injuries affect not only physical function but also how patients see themselves — their identity, confidence, and place in the world.

Among the patients were both military personnel and civilians affected by the war. For many, this was not the first stage of treatment, but part of a long recovery process that can last months or even years.

One of the defining features of this mission was the integration of surgical care with on-site prosthetics. Two anaplastologists — Eduardo Arias and Benjamin Rosenberg, specialists in ocular and facial prosthetics — joined the team. Together, they set up a temporary laboratory to create custom ocular prostheses for patients undergoing surgery.

This approach fundamentally changed the care pathway: patients were able to receive their prosthesis immediately after surgery, without waiting for a separate stage of treatment. In cases of eye loss, this has not only medical but also profound psychological significance — allowing individuals to return more quickly to a familiar appearance and to social life.

Alongside surgical care, the team also addressed other dimensions of recovery. Pain management specialist Timothy Canty, who works with PTSD, joined the mission. He delivered lectures at the Superhumans Center, Lviv Psychiatric Hospital, and St. Panteleimon Hospital, as well as practical trainings for anesthesiologists, psychologists, and pain management specialists at the Lviv Military Hospital. This work is aimed not only at supporting patients but also at strengthening the capacity of Ukrainian medical teams to address the long-term consequences of trauma.

Knowledge transfer was another key component of the mission. Ukrainian doctors who had previously participated in missions, surgical trainings, conferences, and observerships in U.S. hospitals organized by Razom — as well as specialists from other Lviv hospitals — joined the procedures. They worked side by side with the international team in operating rooms, observing, assisting, and gaining experience they will continue to apply in their practice.

Dr. Parag Gandhi, an oculofacial plastic surgeon with more than 20 years of experience and a third-time participant in the mission, emphasized the importance of this collaboration:

“It is a great honor for me to work alongside Ukrainian colleagues, helping injured soldiers and civilians who have sacrificed so much for their families and their country. I truly believe that while one person cannot do everything, everyone can do something. And it is through knowledge exchange and collaboration that we make that contribution.”

The mission was made possible through the partnership between Razom for Ukraine and the AAFPRS Face to Face program, as well as collaboration with the Military Medical Clinical Center of the Western Region, the INgenius platform, and Healing the Children North East.

These missions are gradually reshaping the approach to treating complex facial injuries in Ukraine. It is not only about individual surgeries, but about building a comprehensive model in which surgery, prosthetics, pain management, and physician training are integrated into a single, continuous process of recovery.

The mission was made possible by the support of Razom for Ukraine’s donors, whose contributions enable the deployment of international medical teams, procurement of critical equipment, and on-the-ground coordination. This support makes it possible not only to carry out complex surgeries, but also to facilitate the exchange of expertise between Ukrainian and international physicians and expand access to advanced approaches in treating war-related injuries.

The Missing Puzzle Piece: Svitlana Blinova and the Power of Local Leadership

Published: February 20, 2026

It feels almost surreal to sit across from Svitlana Blinova in the basement of Lviv City Hall. Down here, in a concrete shelter, we are waiting out news of a possible missile strike. It is the safest place to conduct an interview today. Svitlana smiles softly as she speaks – composed, thoughtful, almost delicate in appearance. And yet, as she begins to tell her story, it becomes clear that she is exactly the kind of leader Ukraine has produced in wartime: steady, determined, and quietly transformative.

Razom first met Svitlana not at a conference or on a panel – but through partnership. Through the inaugural Impact UA internship program, developed by Razom and Brave Generation, Svitlana’s organization Cities4Cities hosted Aidan Stretch, a recent Yale graduate focused on history and journalism. From the start, Svitlana stood out.

She did not simply assign tasks. She took Aidan under her wing. She brought him into the real work of building international municipal partnerships. And later she went further, bringing him to her grandparents’ village outside Lviv so he could experience rural Ukrainian life firsthand. Her grandmother cooked potatoes grown on their own land. Her grandfather, who does not speak English, offered a simple “hello.” It was not staged hospitality. It was trust.

That experience shaped Aidan’s reporting and the work he now continues as a freelance journalist based in Kyiv, contributing to outlets such as The Kyiv Independent and CBS. Through his writing, American audiences encounter Ukrainian municipalities not as abstractions, but as communities rebuilding, partnering, and leading.

Svitlana’s commitment impressed us. And we kept watching her work. Born in 1991 – the year Ukraine regained independence – Svitlana’s life has unfolded alongside the country’s own search for voice and agency. She studied journalism and law, but her real education began during a summer internship at Lviv City Council. Officially, it was four hours a day. In practice, she stayed fourteen.

Before the full-scale invasion, she worked on municipal development strategies. On February 24, 2022, she packed a shelter bag for her family and went straight to City Hall asking one thing: How can I help? Within days, she helped coordinate international journalists. Soon after, she redirected humanitarian aid from Lviv to harder-hit communities. From that emergency response grew something more lasting.

Together with the City of Lviv, SALAR International (part of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions), and the German city of Sindelfingen, Svitlana helped launch Cities4Cities, which is now a robust platform connecting Ukrainian municipalities with European and American partners. Today, the network spans nearly 100 municipalities across seven EU countries and the United States. For Svitlana, sister-city agreements are not paperwork. They are relationships. “International cooperation is not magic,” she says. “It’s soft skills.”

Through the Cities4Cities Academy, her six-person team trains municipalities across Ukraine to identify their priorities, seek aligned partners, and build sustainable, win-win cooperation. There are over 1,400 municipalities in Ukraine. The scale of the task is immense.

And then came a moment that could change everything. Last year, Svitlana received an invitation to speak at the International City/County Managers Association conference in Florida, one of the most influential gatherings of municipal leaders in the United States. The registration fee was waived. She secured a visa just two days before the event. But she did not have the money for a last-minute plane ticket – nearly $1,000. For many civic leaders in Ukraine, that is where opportunities end. There is no simple travel grant to apply for on short notice. No rapid-response fund for moments like this. Conferences move on. Connections are lost.

Because we had already worked with Svitlana through Impact UA – because we had seen her leadership up close – Razom stepped in through our Razom Sylnishi program, which strengthens Ukrainian civil society leaders. Within days, the ticket was secured. “That ticket was the missing puzzle piece,” Svitlana says.

The impact was immediate. Standing before American city managers – in a country she had never spoken publicly in, in a language she only began studying after the invasion – Svitlana presented the case for partnering with Ukrainian municipalities. When she finished, there was a line of leaders waiting to speak with her. Today, she carries a stack of business cards from U.S. municipal officials eager to build sister-city partnerships. Those conversations are already translating into new connections – opening doors for Ukrainian communities seeking expertise, collaboration, and long-term integration with American counterparts. A $1,000 plane ticket did not just fund travel. It unlocked access. It accelerated U.S. engagement. It shifted the trajectory of Cities4Cities’ expansion into America. This is what catalytic support looks like. And Svitlana’s leadership does not stop there.

After burning out in a previous political communications role, she once spent a summer living in a tent in her grandparents’ village. Seeing its decline, she helped mobilize residents to rebuild it through securing grants, improving roads, creating a youth coworking and cultural space, and launching a regional tourism brand marking forest routes across multiple municipalities.

She and her husband built a small guesthouse in the village. When the war began, he became a defender. She finished the house herself. Today, it ranks in the top 10% of Airbnb listings worldwide. She personally communicates with guests and even offers “voluntourism” stays in exchange for beautifying the community. “This house is from my heart” – she says.

At the start of the invasion, Svitlana briefly relocated to Poland – only to return. “I didn’t feel that I was with my people,” she says. She later chose to have a second child during wartime. “We will rebuild Ukraine also with kids.”

In the quiet of the shelter beneath Lviv City Hall, it becomes clear that leadership like Svitlana’s does not seek attention. It builds systems. It strengthens communities. It studies English at night so Ukraine can speak to the world.

Razom did not create Svitlana Blinova. Ukraine did. But sometimes, what makes the difference between a missed opportunity and a transformative one is the ability to act quickly – to remove one obstacle at exactly the right time.

One plane ticket. One missing puzzle piece. And the ripple effect continues.

And when leaders like Svitlana are met with trust, flexibility, and timely support, their impact multiplies far beyond a single conference, a single partnership, or a single moment. It ripples outward – connecting cities, strengthening communities, and weaving Ukraine more tightly into a global network of solidarity that will help shape its recovery for years to come.

If you believe in leaders like Svitlana – pragmatic, courageous, and deeply rooted in their communities – we invite you to stand with them. Your support allows Razom to continue providing the flexible, rapid-response backing that turns pivotal moments into lasting impact for Ukraine.

A Letter from our CEO

Published: January 21, 2026

A Letter from Our CEO

As this new year begins, Ukraine is facing its most severe winter since the start of the full-scale invasion.

In recent days, temperatures in Kyiv have fallen to –20°C (-4°F) as Ukraine’s electrical grid continues to be systematically degraded by years of Russian missile and drone attacks. Millions of Ukrainians in cities across the country are living through freezing temperatures with unstable access to heat, electricity, and water. The result is a humanitarian crisis unlike any Ukraine has faced during the war so far.

Parents plan their days around scheduled power outages, with utility companies publishing blackout times by neighborhood – often as long as 16 consecutive hours. Hospitals ration whatever power the city can spare. Heated tents are appearing in courtyards between apartment buildings scarred by drone fragments. First responders answer calls knowing that Russian “double-tap” strikes increasingly target those who arrive to help.

This is not an emergency that passes in a single news cycle. It is the daily reality of a nation still under full-scale assault after nearly four years.

Much of this no longer makes the front page.

What is less visible – but no less real – is the cumulative effect of these conditions. When electricity fails, hospitals strain. When heat is unreliable, chronic illness becomes acute. When first responders are killed, entire communities lose lifelines. And when political wavering pressures Ukraine to reach premature compromises with its aggressor, it is Ukrainian civilians – and future generations – who absorb the cost. This winter is forcing millions of Ukrainians back into survival mode, while testing whether the United States and its allies will substantiate their commitments.

This is the context in which Razom enters 2026.

Our work has never been about reacting to headlines alone. It is about ensuring that Ukrainians have the support, systems, and global partnerships needed not just to endure war—but to emerge from it with agency, dignity, and strength. This year, Razom will continue investing across five core areas: supporting first responders and medics on the front lines; strengthening Ukraine’s healthcare system; backing grassroots organizations serving the most vulnerable; advancing strong, principled Ukraine policy in Washington, D.C.; and connecting Ukrainian voices, culture, and innovation to the global mainstream.

Taken together, these efforts serve a single purpose: a secure, livable, and connected Ukraine capable of surviving this war, leading its own recovery, and standing as a model of democratic resilience and security for the world.

Global support for Ukraine cannot depend solely on moments of crisis. It must be built and sustained through strategy, partnership, and long-term commitment. That is the work ahead of us. And it is only possible because of you.

Thank you for standing with Ukraine, especially when the story feels harder to follow, and the outcome less certain. Your continued engagement matters more than ever.

With gratitude and resolve,

Dora Chomiak
Chief Executive Officer
Razom for Ukraine

What Razom Is Doing Right Now

That commitment is not theoretical. It is operational. Since November 2025 alone, Razom has delivered 118 generators and 175 mobile charging stations to frontline medics, emergency crews, and community organizations – keeping critical services running during prolonged blackouts. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, more than 200 generators have been placed in community hubs serving displaced families, older adults, and people with disabilities.

In Kryvyi Rih, where repeated missile and drone attacks force emergency responders to work under constant threat, Razom is supporting the State Emergency Service of Ukraine with mobile heated emergency tents and infrastructure. These allow responders to establish temporary rescue points during attacks – safely, visibly, and in freezing conditions.

In Poltava, local partners report having electricity for only one to two hours per day. A youth organization supported by Razom now relies on charging stations to stay operational at all – briefly entering cold buildings once or twice a week just to charge equipment, submit reports, and coordinate volunteer work.

At a social-cultural center supported by Razom, a single generator now powers heating pumps, lights, and programming for children, women, and older adults. “If not for your support, most of these activities would have been postponed until spring or not happened at all,” the team wrote.

For families, the impact is even more direct.

At a family-type children’s home caring for 13 children, including displaced children and children with disabilities, the generator Razom provided runs up to 12 hours a day, powering heating, water pumps, lights, and laptops. “If not for you, it would have been much harder to survive last winter,” the mother wrote. “About this one – there would be no way at all.”

At a residential care facility housing 50 elderly and chronically ill residents, a charging station provided by Razom now keeps the heating system running during blackouts. “This is not just technical support,” the director wrote. “It is protection of health and life.”

Why Support Razom – Especially Now

Razom’s strength is not scale alone. It is trust, proximity, and precision. Razom works directly with local partners who know where systems are breaking – and where relatively small interventions can prevent catastrophe. We don’t duplicate services. We fill gaps others can’t reach, often under conditions where speed, flexibility, and local relationships make the difference.

As Dora writes, Razom’s work is about more than endurance. It is about ensuring Ukrainians retain agency, dignity, and the ability to hold the line – even in the dark. This winter is testing more than infrastructure. It is testing whether support for Ukraine holds when the crisis becomes chronic instead of dramatic.

Let’s be clear: Ukraine is being pushed into the cold on purpose. People are surviving because generators are running, heated shelters are standing, first responders are equipped, and communities are refusing to collapse. Razom is there – in the dark, in the cold, in action.

But this work does not continue without you. If you are waiting for the right moment to help, this is it.

Donate now. Your support funds life-saving winter response on the ground.
Share this reality. Silence benefits the aggressor.
Engage. Policy decisions made now determine survival later.

Ukraine will endure. The question is how much suffering we allow before we act.

Stand with Ukraine.
Stand with Razom.