Hi, I am Dima. I am a Ukrainian living in the UK. I love startups, running and cars. Since the start of the full-scale war with russia in 2022, I have been helping a personal friend and his unit; they are part of the 31st Separate Mechanized Brigade of the AFU.
Working directly with people I know and can trust assures that real people will be genuinely using the aid and vehicles that we are sending.
Main focus: pickup trucks
Pickups are used for anything and everything: bringing supplies to the front line and taking the wounded back, clearing the minefields, providing firepower, and hunting the dreaded Shahid drones.
Pick-up trucks are in constant demand by the Ukrainian Army.
Pick-up trucks from the UK generally cost less than the European ones, are often in better condition and have an unusual perk of the driver sitting on the “wrong side“ (helps in case the enemy is targeting the diver).
A Grand Tour with a Purpose
UK to Ukraine border is 1200+ miles and three full days of driving. There is plenty to see and to do on the way: From the beaches of Dunkirk to the lights of Krakow, from beer and fun in Leuven to the horrors of Auschwitz.
If you are interested in joining me the whole way, I will source the trucks in the UK, organise the route, arrange the paperwork from the real Unit of the Ukrainian Army, arrange the meeting party on the Poland/Ukraine border and support along the whole journey. Treat it like a Grand Tour with a Real Purpose.
Equally, I would appreciate any help which would allow me to source a new truck or pay towards the trip expenses.
2023: Warrior
It was the first truck that I purchased myself and drove to Ukraine. It was an amazing experience and one of the best trips of my life. I drove an old, real, hard-core, manual-era car across Europe, met some of my friends, and visited epic places. The car is currently with an sapper unit with the 31st Brigade of AFU and helps to clean up the mines where we don’t need them and put them where we need them :)
2023: Gen. Budanov 1 & 2
Inspired by my earlier drive to Ukraine, a personal friend of our family, Scott, has kindly decided to sponsor the purchase of two more trucks for Ukraine. Scott has named the cars “General Budanov 1 & 2“ and here is the account of our trip from Somerset to Lviv
2022: Gear and Night Vision
In the early days of the war, most AFU units were underequipped with the basics: the clothing, the helmets and the armoured breastplates. Later in the year I have sent two night vision scopes which were in great demand at the time
SeedRun
SeedRun is a London community of runners organised by Henry Yates and kindy hosed by Stride.VC and Fred Destin. It brings together startups, investors and service providers for a 5K run around Regent’s Park in London.
SeedRun community has been raising money for Ukraine since Day 1 of the war and has kindly agreed to support some of my initiatives.