Four years ago, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Nearly 600,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or injured since then, and more than 55,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed or injured, including more than 3,200 children.
The attacks led to an immediate outpouring of support for Ukrainians from Americans and friends around the world. Four years later, the fighting may no longer make the front-page news most days, but Russia’s war against Ukraine is still the greatest threat to freedom and democracy since WWII. And Spirit of America supporters are still indispensable partners in delivering critical, lifesaving assistance to Ukrainian defenders.
Since 2022, Spirit of America has worked with U.S. military partners to deliver more than $73 million in lifesaving assistance to Ukrainians protecting their country on the frontlines.
Over the past four years, our Europe team has taken 40 trips to Ukraine, spending thousands of hours meeting with military officials and local partners to identify urgent needs, deliver assistance, and check on projects. They’ve spent dozens of nights in bomb shelters, getting a small glimpse of what life is like for the Ukrainian people, who deal with electricity blackouts, air raid alerts, and drone attacks on a daily basis.
Ukrainians have a saying that translates to, “You’re either in the army or you’re for the army.” Everyone contributes to the war effort, and everyone makes sacrifices to support their men and women on the frontlines. It’s their stories, sacrifices, and determination that inspire our team to do all we can to continue supporting Ukraine’s fight for their sovereign right to exist.
Working alongside U.S. military and Ukrainian forces, we have delivered assistance at scale — providing support where it can make the greatest impact, and quickly adapting to changing conditions on the ground — to help Ukraine defend itself against a brutal invasion, liberate territory, and save thousands of lives.
Help us continue to stand strong with Ukraine.
Your donation will have a direct, lifesaving impact for Ukrainians on the frontlines.
Protective gear: Saving Ukrainian lives with speed and scale
In the early months of the full-scale Russian invasion, we supported the large-scale mobilization of protective gear to keep Ukrainian soldiers safe. We helped them hold the line in key areas like Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Mykolaiv, and liberate key terrain.
When Russia invaded in February 2022, our U.S. military partners asked us to come to Poland to being coordinating Spirit of America assistance. Our Europe director was on the ground working with our troops in four days, and within weeks we were delivering thousands of bulletproof helmets, bulletproof vests, medical supplies, and ready-to-eat meals — equipping defenders with gear and aid that kept them alive under fire.
Spirit of America Europe Director Colleen Denny hands out bulletproof vests and helmets to Ukrainian soldiers in April 2022. We’ve provided 18,594 vests and helmets since the start of the war. Photo by Babylon 13 for Spirit of America.
Because of our partnership with the U.S. military that allows our troops to receive and distribute our assistance and provide logistical support, our donated aid was often in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers on the frontlines within 36 hours of our cargo planes landing in Poland.
“We do not have American boots on the ground, but we do have Spirit of America on the ground,” former Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova told us. “You are Ukraine’s guardian angel.”
Protective gear delivered to Ukrainian troops by Spirit of America has included:
- 9,296 Level IV bulletproof vests
- 9,298 ballistic helmets
- 20,720 first aid kits
- 21,620 tourniquets
- 393 advanced trauma kits
- 290 pairs of night vision goggles
- 33,000 ready to eat meals
Troop mobility: Helping Ukrainians move quickly, evacuate wounded soldiers, and deliver supplies
Battlefield mobility — the ability to move troops quickly, evacuate wounded soldiers, and deliver essential supplies — has been another cornerstone of Spirit of America’s assistance.
We have delivered hundreds of new vehicles able to handle the rugged terrain and harsh winter conditions on the frontlines. We have also funded the repair and rehabilitation of existing Ukrainian military vehicles, multiplying the value of what’s already in country and getting trucks back into service at a fraction of the cost of a new vehicle.
Spirit of America Europe Managers Matt Dimmick, second from left, and Grant Peehler, far right, deliver a fully stocked mobile vehicle repair workshop to the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ 412th Unmanned Systems Brigade. This workshop will help Ukrainians quickly repair vehicles near the frontlines. Photo by Adriana Teluk/Spirit of America.
And just this year, we provided a fully equipped mobile vehicle repair workshop, allowing Ukrainian forces to quickly repair damaged wheeled and tracked vehicles that would otherwise be abandoned or stuck for weeks. This helps keep units mobile and reduces their exposure to Russian forces.
Innovations in vehicle technology are making an impact on the frontlines as well. In late 2025, we provided unmanned ground vehicles to safely evacuate wounded soldiers from the battlefield. Russian forces target medical evacuations, making it dangerous to retrieve injured soldiers — and delays in treating injuries can lead to more serious injuries, amputations, and loss of life.
Vehicles delivered to Ukrainian troops by Spirit of America have included:
- 230 4×4 pickup trucks, cargo vans, and SUVs
- 387 rebuilt military trucks
- 30 unmanned ground and all-terrain vehicles
- 9 50-passnger buses
- 1 mobile vehicle repair workshop
Secure communications: Connecting and protecting Ukrainian soldiers
Modern warfare depends on reliable and secure communication networks, and Spirit of America has been at the forefront of empowering Ukraine’s forces with the tools they need to stay connected under fire.
Ukrainian soldiers use a secure communications network, piloted with the help of Spirit of America, to access information and coordinate operations in real time. Photo courtesy of Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Early in the war, Spirit of America invested $8.6 million in mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and Starlink satellite systems to help build a secure communications network that identifies threats, saves lives, and spares attacks on critical infrastructure.
One U.S. Army officer told us, “I haven’t seen anything this game-changing in the nine months I’ve been here,” underscoring how essential it became in coordinating complex operations and reducing casualties. Spirit of America’s investment proved the concept and how valuable the secure communication system was; the U.S. government has now scaled the program to $103 million and started the flow of 10,000 communications devices into Ukraine.
Communications gear delivered to Ukrainian troops by Spirit of America has included:
- 995 mobile phones
- 593 tablets
- 323 laptops
- 135 Starlink systems
- 100 satellite phones
Emerging technology: Providing drones and other technology to resist Russian aggression
The war in Ukraine has shown how cutting-edge technology can shape the landscape of modern conflict.
Russia has dramatically increased its drone attacks on Ukrainian communities and civilian infrastructure since 2022. On a single night in September 2025, Russia launched 810 Shahed drones, the largest single drone and missile strike in the war to date. Ukrainian Air Forces downed and suppressed 747 — 92% — of those drones.
This is why Spirit of America’s support to Ukraine is so critical. We are providing technology and funding innovation that empowers the Ukrainian Armed Forces to protect civilians and resist increasing aggression.
A Ukrainian soldier flies a Spirit of America-provided drone during training. We have delivered 559 surveillance drones to Ukrainian troops since 2022. Photo courtesy of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
We have delivered hundreds of nonlethal surveillance drones to elite Ukrainian units with highly skilled drone pilots, giving them real-time visuals on Russian activity. Our drones also support U.S. Special Operations Forces training programs for Ukrainian troops. And we delivered 10 drone jammers that disrupt advanced Russian technology, downing drones that would otherwise harm soldiers and civilians.
We’re also fully stocking a drone workshop for an elite air defense unit. Drone systems require constant modification and repair. This workshop will repair, modify, and adapt a variety of surveillance drones close to the front line so they can return to the air quickly. As one deputy air defense commander told us, “It’s a constant cat and mouse game with the Russians, but this workshop goes a long way in helping us spend more time being the cat.”
Emerging technology delivered to Ukrainian troops by Spirit of America has included:
- 559 surveillance drones
- 10 drone jammers
- 465 sets of thermal mitigating gear
- 18 3D printers
A sustained commitment to our Ukrainian partners
Spirit of America remains committed to helping Ukrainians defend their freedom and democracy. Thanks to your support, our assistance has continued to adapt to changing needs on the frontlines, delivering targeted support where it will have the most impact and save the most lives. But the needs remain urgent, even as the war enters its fifth year. Your continued investment will determine what we are able to do next.
Help us continue to stand strong with Ukraine.
Your donation will have a direct, lifesaving impact for Ukrainians on the frontlines.
