Cost of protecting a Ukrainian soldier
Since February 2022, Spirit of America has delivered lifesaving assistance into the hands of Ukrainian troops and civilian volunteers defending freedom on the front lines. When Russia launched its full-scale war on Ukraine, ordinary citizens became soldiers overnight — many of them had nothing more than knee pads for protection. In the early months of the invasion, we supported large-scale mobilization as tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians joined the military to defend Ukraine. We provided protective gear at scale, including enough bulletproof vests and ballistic helmets to equip the equivalent of every US Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Marine Special Operator.
Our initial sets of bulletproof vests and helmets played a direct role in Ukrainian troops holding ground and stopping Russia’s advance early in the invasion. We have since shifted our assistance to support the elite Ukrainian units being trained by US Special Operations Forces. These units have asymmetric impact at and beyond the frontlines. Our assistance protects these Ukrainian soldiers and increases their effectiveness.
The total cost of protecting a Ukrainian soldier is $21,675. Here is a cost breakdown for each item:
- Surveillance drones – $4,700
Drones and other unmanned vehicles have significantly altered the landscape of modern warfare. We have delivered hundreds of nonlethal surveillance drones to elite Ukrainian units with highly skilled drone pilots.
- Night vision goggles – $15,000
- Binoculars – $475
- Advanced military first aid kit – $1,500
Additional livesaving gear needed:
- Thermal mitigation gear – $900
Thermal mitigating gear makes Ukrainian soldiers invisible to Russia’s thermal drones. The gear reflects heat and conceals movement, which helps Ukrainian soldiers stay safe and undetected on the frontlines.
- Drone jammers – $75,000
Drone jammers disrupt the control, navigation, and video of multiple drones simultaneously. The pervasiveness of Russian drones and the threat they represent to Ukraine’s soldiers make nonlethal drone jammers indispensable. With your support, Spirit of America sent the first 10 drone jammers to Ukraine. Our US Special Operations Forces partners were shocked at the speed with which Spirit of America was able to provide the drone jammers, which they’d been trying to do for over two years.
With your help, we have already sent over $60 million of assistance to Ukrainian soldiers and civilian volunteers. Join us in taking Ukraine’s side and defending freedom against Russian oppression.
