Rickshaws for the ZSU, Update 15
Hello everybody!
Much later than originally intended, here an update on our collection in support of the ZSU.
The last update was No. 14, from 21 November, and thus you all have my apology for coming back to this topic only now. As can be seen from the posts all over this blog, a lot was going on somewhere else. Please, make no mistake, though: neither this, nor my (yes: ‘bitter’) critique of the Glavcom and the GenStab-U should mean I’ve lost my enthusiasm for the ZSU, or that I think we should stop supporting Ukraine.
On the contrary!
Thanks to your help, we all - YOU, Anastasiia and me - remain capable of providing precisely the kind of support the ZSU troops need, and then right where they need it and as soon as they need it. This in turn is enabling them to not only remain operational, but also to remain combat-effective - especially so during the harsh Ukrainian winter. For how and how much: see the following examples.
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Over the last 3,5 weeks, Anastasiia has shipped dozens of packages containing medical supplies, tourniquets, and chemical warmers to numerous units. We are making no distinction: whoever contacts us and sends us a list, is receiving the package in a matter of days.
Moreover, we’re pro-actively searching for units that need help. Indeed, we are aiming to help little-known, rarely-mentioned thus units that are in biggest need. As I’m going to show at the end of this update, we are also supporting other initiatives.
The number of single shipments of the last three weeks is much too big but to list all of them. Alone the number of chemical warmers and tourniquets shipped went into ‘hundreds’: they are ‘expendable’ types of equipment, constantly in request, and one can never have enough of them (BTW, if there are any delays in shipping of parcels, then because troops are often so busy fighting, they’ve found no time to collect our shipments from pick-up points). Please excuse me for omitting many of ‘minor’ cases (indeed, for saving Anastasiia lots of time with sending me all the bills and photos), but: be sure, we didn’t waste a single cent of your donations. Everything is spent exclusively for the purpose for which you have donated it. It is solely for the reasons of space and time that I’m going to mention ‘just a few bigger cases’ (in sense of: ‘that was more expensive stuff)’. For example:
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This was one of cases where Anastasiia was so kind to pro-actively contact the unit and offer them your help. They’ve requested a set of tyres for their SUV, and have received these already in early December.
About a week ago, they’ve also received a charging station (price was UAH 71,350,—, this time):
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The UAV department of the 57th requested help with a laptop. Anastasia acquired one for UAH 18,499,01, and shipped it to them: they’ve meanwhile received it!
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128th Mountain Assault Brigade
Back in late November, Anastasiia has acquired and shipped a 2kW charging station (mentioned in the Update 14) to the medical department of this unit. They have also received all the repeaters and tourniquets they’ve requested (we did opt to buy tourniquets manufactured abroad, even though these are slightly more expensive: simply because of their better quality; mind that tourniquets are saving people’s lives, every single day, and we do not want to have bad feelings if any has failed).
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‘Our’ 151st - the unit with which this collection began - is back to the battlefield and in the middle of some of fiercest fighting in the Donbas. Latest news is that one of their SUVs needs a new injector and a fuel pump. They have already repaired the injector on their own (price UAH 16,000), but we’re not yet sure how much is the fuel pump going to cost. Thus, details are to follow.
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Shark for the 3rd SSO
Talking about ‘beginnings’: our actual beginning was the collection for the Shark UAV, acquired for the 3rd SSO Regiment, back in spring (feels like ‘few years ago’…) - and, logically, several readers have asked if there are any news.
Yes, actually, there are lots of news. I’m just not feeling free to talk about any. Thus, and essentially: yes, the 3rd SSO has received its brand-new Shark UP, ‘months ago’. Indeed, it received the latest version (which is so new, I do not dare talking about it, either). Following extensive testing, this is meanwhile ‘in (very intensive) operational service’.
I beg for your understanding that I’m not going into any additional details: kindly keep in mind, the system in question is very advanced and thus deployed for some of most sensitive operations imaginable. Let me conclude with; there’s a ‘hunt’ for it, going on since ‘months’, well ‘behind the Russian lines’. That’s also why there are no ‘videos’: not only are troops operating it too busy, but I do not want to bother them with requests for videos and souvenirs. They’ve got better things to do.
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Special thanks for every single of your donations. You are enabling us to continue supporting the ZSU in form of rapid reactions to any requests for help with equipment and gear.
As usually, here details on how to continue helping the ZSU:
For donations in US$:
IBAN UA333220010000026200347742354
SWIFT/BIC Code: UNJSUAUKXXX
Receiver: Anastasiia Nakonechna
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For donations in EUR (which are especially welcome because in Ukraine it’s easier to use Euros, and we’re not losing any money to pay for transfers from other accounts and conversion to UAHs):
IBAN: GB27CLJU00997188707780
SWIFT/BIC Code: CLJUGB21
Receiver: Anastasiia Nakonechna
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Or, per Paypal: 5266986@gmail.com (Purpose: ‘For Rickshaws’)
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Last but not least… back in September, you were also so kind to help directly, and/or to help us help a collection run by Eduard Burghardt from Germany (see bottom of the Update 7).
Few weeks ago, Eduard launched collection for two UNIMOG trucks. The first of the two was meanwhile delivered to the Presidential Brigade (also ‘Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytskyi’ Brigade), ZSU (yes, the de-facto ‘guards’ for the President of Ukraine):
The second was brought to Ukraine, and disassembled for an overhaul:
Total price of each truck was €6,000 (i.e. the grand total was €12,000): Eduard has collected most of the money for the second truck (the last I’ve heard: over €4,000), but he can need your help with the rest.
Moreover, while bringing the UNIMOG to Ukraine, Eduard has also visited the Workshops of the Presidential Brigade, at which this overhaul is undertaken: the people there are competent, undertaking similar works on much heavier vehicles (including armoured personnel carriers, of course), and thus he came to the idea to buy yet another vehicle - and the have it adapted for casualty evacuation (CASEVAC). Sure, is something we’ve considered doing back in September… but: we’ve had nobody ‘there’: neither a good source in the EU, nor somebody who can oversee in Ukraine. Now, Eduard is around and can do a lot to help, first hand!
Another point is: currently, the Presidential Brigade is using a trailer towed by one of its SUVs for CASEVAC. Obviously, this is extremely dangerous. Point is this: Eduard would like to acquire another car, probably a pick-up/SUV, to enable them to run CASEVAC in a more effective and safer fashion. He expects the find a suitable car somewhere in Germany for about €6,000, bring it to Ukraine, and have it overhauled before delivery to the unit.
If you would be so kind to support Eduard’s efforts, details are as follows:
PayPal: eduard.burghardt@googlemail.com
IBAN: DE66 5009 0500 0002 6022 17
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I think it’s more than obvious: thanks to your donations, we’re moving ‘a lot’ - and it’s getting ever more. We’re collecting ever more experiences, getting ever better organised, and your kind help is making it possible to help the ZSU where there is most of need.
SPECIAL THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUOUS SUPPORT!
This is great. I especially appreciate the help for units that don't get a lot of publicity.
Thank you for this update... your initiative solves a lot of problems wrt where to put donationa in the most effective way! Also thank you for the update on the Shark... some time ago you reported the loss of one of them and we feared it was ours. Even if it was the case, a new collection would have had success.