When lives are at stake, every second counts. Ukraine’s fight for freedom is reshaping the future of warfare and allied security as we know it.
Ukrainians need aid to survive, but they also need the resources and systems to maximize their effectiveness, adaptability, and leadership on the battlefield. More importantly, they need these capabilities to stay alive.
Vehicles are essential for transporting personnel, evacuating the wounded, and delivering critical supplies. But what happens when those vehicles are damaged or break down? It can be dangerous to retrieve a truck in the middle of a war zone, so instead, Spirit of America is bringing the repair shop to the vehicle. And it’s having an asymmetric impact on the defense of Ukraine and protection of soldiers and civilians.
Ukrainian solutions made possible by America support
In January, I joined Spirit of America to deliver a NATO-certified, Ukrainian-made, mobile vehicle repair workshop to the 412th “Nemesis” Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces, in partnership with the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This mobile repair workshop increases readiness and operational tempo for Ukraine’s premier drone unit.
The mobile repair workshop is a containerized repair center, filled with every tool and machine that mechanics need to repair almost any wheeled or tracked vehicle. Instead of relying on military depots or civilian garages that are often far from operational areas and expensive for units to access, Ukrainian forces can now make the necessary repairs or maintenance on-site that save time and lives — typically within a day.
The Spirit of America team delivers a mobile repair unit to the 412th “Nemesis” Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces.
Against the backdrop of a frozen city, amid relentless Russian air raid attacks in sub-zero temperatures, we met our partners at an undisclosed location to deliver the workshop to Ukrainian forces. Despite the grim circumstance, it was encouraging to know that this workshop would be immediately deployed to support military operations where it would have the most impact.
How mobile repair units impact mobility
The repair units have a vital impact on Ukrainian units’ mobility. As Russia’s drone threat continues to evolve and expand, Ukrainian units are dispersed across the battlefield, creating complex logistics and sustainment demands. Troops depend on a vast network of trucks, vans, trailers, and civilian vehicles operating around the clock in severe conditions, and the constant wear and tear requires ongoing maintenance and repair.
“If you don’t have mobility, you can’t do anything. Everything shuts down, and it doesn’t matter what you have on hand if it can’t move.”
– Soldier, Armed Forces of Ukraine
Mobile repair workshops are essential to combat effectiveness, keeping Ukrainian personnel, equipment, and supply chains moving while minimizing the risk of operating from known locations.
A look inside a mobile repair workshop.
The workshop can deploy to areas near the frontline, service dozens of damaged vehicles per week, and quickly redeploy. In addition to vehicle repairs, the workshop can be used to convert standard vehicles into communications, survivability, and defensive upgrades. These capabilities are critical to Ukrainian self-defense.
Spirit of America delivered three additional systems to the 412th Brigade in September and more are in production now to equip the entire Unmanned Systems Forces Command by early 2027. With our support, these units are having an asymmetric impact: In just 10 months, the first mobile repair unit serviced 721 vehicles at an $11.5M value, creating a 48x ROI.
Empowering ingenuity to save lives
This program is a powerful example of what is possible when Ukrainian innovators are given the right tools and resources. The ingenuity emerging from Ukraine is not only saving lives today but shaping the future of global security. Ukrainians are leading the way, but continued support is essential to keep these lifesaving capabilities moving where they are needed most.
Learn more about how you can make a difference in supporting Ukraine.
Adriana Teluk joined Spirit of America in April 2022. A multilingual communicator, Adriana is a long-standing, active member of the Ukrainian-American community in Washington D.C., with familial ties to Ukraine. Having lived there as a child, it is imperative to Adriana to now be a part of the effort to help Ukraine. Prior to joining Spirit of America, Adriana worked with several Ukrainian organizations to promote advocacy and development.
