Presenting Razom Advocacy Team

Published: February 4, 2023   

Team members from near and far convened in New York for a two-day, action-packed program involving meeting other Razom teams and the Razom community at large to learn more about one another and do more great work together.

Friday was all about strategy and meeting with partners, including Renew Democracy Initiative and Razom friends at the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations, Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya and Ms. Yaroslava Sochka.

Razom Advocacy Team at Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations in New York

On Saturday, the Razom Advocacy Team presented its work to the Razom community and received updates on the ongoing developments of Razom as an organization. This event took place at the Shevchenko Scientific Society’s NYC headquarters. The Shevchenko Scientific Society is a Ukrainian-American scholarly institution incorporated in 1948 in New York that tracks its lineage to the Shevchenko Scientific Society established in 1873 in Lviv. Razom thanks the Shevchenko Scientific Society for hosting us.

Razom at Shevchenko Scientific Society

The team then went a few blocks south in the Ukrainian Village to visit the Ukrainian Response Initiative’s new office space. Ukrainian Response Initiative was launched by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and assists newly arrived Ukrainian New Yorkers with legal services, translation services, social services, and other resources. During the visit, the Razom Advocacy Team met displaced Ukrainians and listened to their stories.

Finally, Tania Khodakivska, award-winning film editor and director residing in NYC, gave the team a guided tour of a new exhibit titled “Hi-Resolution: Ukrainian Culture and Contemporary Art Now” on view at the CUNY Graduate Center on 5th Avenue in New York. The exhibition was created by Oleksiy Sai, Nikita Kadan, and curator Ksenia Malykh in collaboration with the James Gallery. Admission is free, and the exhibition is open until February 18th. So please stop by and see it for yourself!

HI-RESOLUTION: UKRAINIAN CULTURE AND CONTEMPORARY ART

Thanks to everyone who joined the different sessions and coffee breaks and met with members of the Razom Advocacy Team this weekend.

Together — we are Ukraine!

Razom Advocacy’s First Year, Made Possible By You

Published: February 2, 2023   

Despite the horrors of the last year of Russia’s full-scale invasion and war in Ukraine, Americans – both of Ukrainian-American descent and from other backgrounds – have united together to advocate on behalf of our shared values of freedom and self-determination. In 2022, the Razom Advocacy Team was able to organize an advocacy network of more than 1,454 individuals. With all of your tireless support, we were able to achieve some notable successes throughout the year.

Congressional Engagement

In 2022, our Advocacy Team members and our network of Razom Advocates held more than 526 meetings with Congressional offices to ask for critical support for Ukraine such as military aid, the strengthening of sanctions, and economic assistance. Meetings weren’t the only way our advocates reached out to their Members of Congress – they also sent 3,671 messages to Capitol Hill, urging Congress to declare Russia a State Sponsor of Terrorism and to label Russia’s actions in Ukraine a genocide, among other important advocacy messages. By joining our advocacy network, individuals can call, send emails, and engage with their lawmakers on Twitter. Sign-up for the Razom advocacy network here to take an active role in promoting Ukrainian victory.

Engagement with Congressional offices through meetings and sending messages via action alert are crucial for affirming the importance of supporting Ukraine. In order to facilitate these connections, Razom for Ukraine and our 42 partner organizations of the American Coalition for Ukraine hosted our inaugural Ukraine Action Summit in September of 2022. During the Summit, 270 advocates from 33 states met with their federal lawmakers’ offices on Capitol Hill for a total of 176 meetings with Congressional members and staff.

Social Media Engagement

Social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram provide a low-barrier entry point for individuals wishing to get involved in the common goal of Ukrainian victory, making social media a critical tool that the Razom Advocacy Team employs in its advocacy. In 2022, our team launched several social media initiatives to raise awareness about the war in Ukraine that reached more than 150,000 individual accounts. 

After the inception of the full-scale invasion, Razom for Ukraine began to organize weekly Twitter Spaces to educate listeners on the most relevant topics around the war. In 2022, we were honored to be joined by more than 40 invited experts speaking on topics that ranged from the recent military victories of the Ukrainian army to Ukrainian Independence Day traditions. You can join our Friday Twitter Spaces by following the Razom for Ukraine Twitter account. 

If you’d like to follow current events in Ukraine and keep up with our initiatives, Razom provides daily updates on the most important events of the war on Twitter and Instagram, and our network of more than 100,000 subscribers helps to spread this information, further educating the public on what is important for Ukrainian victory.

Without critical partnerships with like-minded organizations and the support of advocates like you, these accomplishments would not have been possible.

Thank you to all of our advocates and supporters for making all of our advocacy work possible in 2022 – we could not have done this without your passionate phone calls, emails, tweets, and donations. We hope to continue this momentum into 2023 and work together to help achieve Ukrainian victory together.

January Updates from Razom Health: Hospital-Grade Generators and Much-Needed Medical Aid

Published: January 29, 2023   

While russia continues shelling Ukrainian cities, Razom is providing critical aid to Ukrainians impacted by these terrorizing attacks. Ukraine’s medical system is facing enormous challenges, but our partners have been helping us support civilian hospitals since day one of the war. The following are the most recent updates from our outstanding Razom Health team.

Thanks to a generous grant from Americares, Razom Health was able to procure 11 powerful generators for Ukrainian hospitals. Together with the help of our Ukrainian partners Patients of Ukraine and Zdorovi Agency our team will distribute them to the medical facilities that need them most. Providing generators will ensure that even during power outages doctors can continue providing emergency care and will be able to save the lives of many civilians. The first three generators are already on their way from our warehouse in Kyiv to hospitals in Kryvyi Rih, Marganets, and Tomakivka in the Dnipropetrovsk region of eastern Ukraine. To continue this critical initiative, we plan to procure at least 10 more generators so that we can assist hospitals in need throughout Ukraine.


Pictured below are an anesthesia machine that was recently delivered to a hospital in Dnipro and two containers of critical medical aid donated by Partners For World Health. We are grateful to our friends at Zdorovi Agency for distributing these items to the facilities that need them most.

In the aftermath of traumatic injuries caused by the war, many Ukrainian civilians are in need of durable medical equipment like wheelchairs, walkers, and crutches. Our partners Afya Foundation have been a leading donor of this equipment to Razom Health. Pictured here is the third and final container of Afya’s latest donation. This medical equipment will be distributed to hospitals, rehab facilities, and nursing homes throughout Ukraine.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is wheelchairs-walkers-and-crutches-Health.jpg

We’d also like to thank our longtime partners WearFigs for boosting the spirits of Ukrainian healthcare workers this holiday season. FIGS supplied Ukrainian medical professionals with brand-new sets of their comfortable scrubs – a very welcome (and necessary) holiday gift for Ukraine’s healthcare heroes experiencing work and wartime fatigue. Thank you, FIGS, for showing how you stand with Ukraine!

This mission and aid would be impossible without the donations of thousands of caring people like you who sincerely support Ukraine. We appreciate your donations and encourage you to continue your vital support of the project. No donation is too small, especially when it comes to saving lives.

Wagner Engagements in Ukraine and Across the Globe: Razom Report

Published: January 23, 2023   

Why Ukrainian Victory is Strategically Important for the United States

Published: January 13, 2023   

Introduction 

The continuation of Russia’s war against Ukraine and thus the ongoing need for military aid and foreign funding presents the necessity to revisit the US’s strategic interests in a Ukrainian victory. This report outlines key strategic issues the US would have to grapple with should Russia not be defeated and critical interests in a Ukrainian victory. In what follows, we analyze these issues through the frameworks of regional security, protecting democracy worldwide, global geopolitical threats, access to resources, and access to human capital.

1. Regional Security

US aid to Ukraine is one of the best investments the US can make to diminish Russia’s security
threat to both Europe and the US. The military aid provided to Ukraine thus far has allowed
Ukraine to inflict major damage on Russia’s ability to fight future wars or threaten Europe.

  • Since late February, Russia has lost over 3000 tanks, 6000 fighting vehicles, and 280 planes and has had upward of 100,000 Russian troop casualties (as of January 7, 2023) – approximately half of Russia’s conventional military capability before its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Through supporting Ukraine militarily, the US is able to handle one of its greatest threats without risking US lives. 
  • Ukrainians are fighting to contain Russia’s imperialistic ambitions and prevent Russia from
    incursions into NATO territory, in which case the US would be obligated to take military
    action. Political and defense leaders across NATO member states in the region have warned
    about potential Russian incursions if Russia achieves its goals in Ukraine.
  • The Ukrainian armed forces will leave the war with a heightened knowledge of the aggressor’s fighting tactics and substantial combat experience. This puts Ukraine in a position to be an asset to NATO, especially with respect to providing strategic and practical training for NATO troops.    

Blank Check Myth – Some have likened Ukraine aid to writing a ‘blank check,’ alluding to the assumption that what the US is doing in supporting Ukraine is essentially ‘charity work’. In practice, while Ukrainians are fighting for their existence, a defeated Russia would create significant security dividends for the United States by reducing Russia’s capacity to wage war and make threats. Supporting Ukraine is a significant investment in US and global security.

2. Protection of Global Democracy and Maintaining a Liberal International Order

Supporting Ukraine is an investment into global security and democracy. Ukraine is at war not just with Russia, but with the informal coalition of authoritarian regimes including Belarus, Iran, and North Korea, all of which are involved in aiding the Kremlin’s military efforts. Ukrainians are risking their lives for democracy and freedom in spite of this global authoritarian campaign.  

The US should support Ukraine’s fight to protect freedom, international law, and prove to existing and potential aggressors that no one can succeed in violating international borders. 

  • Tolerance of Russian aggression would only encourage future aggression from either Russia (as seen from the recent past – Georgia in 2008, Ukraine in 2014, and Syria in 2015, to name a few) or other potential aggressors (especially China). A robust response would serve as a warning that such behavior will not be tolerated.

Finally, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and Ukraine’s resistance are gradually leading to the reform of the international multilateral system.

  • While the conversations about the need to reform the United Nations and the Security Council have been ongoing for a while, only with the full-scale war in Ukraine has it become especially evident that the current international order is unable to maintain peace and security in the world. 
  • During the High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly in September 2022, a record number of countries, including Global South countries that had been silent for a long time, came forward with proposals on the reform of the Security Council, including the expansion of the Council’s membership to ensure regional diversity. In the first months of the war, the UN finally adopted the “Veto Initiative,” which is aimed at improving accountability at the Security Council, particularly, the accountability of P5 countries; other conversations on the ways to make the UN fit for its purpose are ongoing and will most likely lead to significant shifts within the organization.
  • Ukraine put together a number of proposals on the reform of the Security Council, including expanded membership, and recently challenged Russia’s presence in the Security Council and the UN in general.

3. Global Geopolitics

Supporting Ukraine credibly demonstrates the US’s willingness to take action and its ability to
confront aggressors.

  • This is a show of strength that would send a clear message to China (the US’s current no. 1 security concern), which, following the US’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, had already started to doubt the US’s resolve in addressing overseas crises.

A Russian defeat will have the effect of nullifying a potential Putin-Xi alliance, advancing the US’s strategic priority of containing China’s military capabilities. 

4. Access to Resources 

So far, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to a global food crisis, exposing the weaknesses in the world’s food systems which had already struggled with the impacts of supply chain disruptions.

  • Prior to the full-scale war, Ukraine provided 45 million tonnes of grain to the market every year. Ukraine is the largest global exporter of sunflower oil, 3rd biggest exporter of barley, 4th largest exporter of corn, and 5th exporter of wheat in the world. A Ukrainian victory will help alleviate the food crisis and potential famine all over the world, especially in Global South countries that feel the impacts of Russia’s invasion on food security the most severely. Only a full Ukrainian victory will lead to stability in food production and exports from the region – the destruction of Ukrainian farmland, farm machinery, and infrastructure are core elements of Russia’s military strategy and Russian occupation of Ukrainian agricultural communities will result in continued instability.
  • In addition to helping feed food-deficient nations, Ukrainian agricultural produce was also used in essential products in the United States. For instance, the inaccessibility of Ukrainian sunflower seed oil as a result of the war heavily contributed to the national baby formula shortage (sunflower seed oil is a key ingredient in baby formula). 

Agricultural products aside, Ukraine has an abundant supply of raw materials, including reserves of coal, natural gas, iron ore, manganese, salt, oil, graphite, sulfur, uranium etc. Ukraine is 7th in the world in iron extraction, accounting for 2.4% of global output (39M tonnes). It’s also 6th place in titanium extraction and 2nd place in the world in gallium extraction. A Ukrainian victory will allow these resources to become available for stable export again. 

Additionally, it is significant to note that Ukraine holds extensive reserves of resources defined as Critical Raw Materials (“raw materials that are economically and strategically important for the European economy, but have a high-risk associated with their supply”). This includes, but is not limited to, natural graphite, lithium, and beryllium. In 2021, Ukraine signed a special Memorandum with the EU about a strategic partnership regarding CRM. 

The abundance of raw materials is evidence of Ukraine’s indispensability to the European economy. In the case of a Russian victory, there is a risk of the reserves falling into Russian hands and being cut off from the European market. 

5. Access to Human Capital 

Ukraine is an IT powerhouse. It exports $6.8 billion of services a year with more than 285,000 employed in the IT industry serving clients all over the world. Prior to the war, Ukraine’s IT sector was ranked fourth in the world. 

Conclusion

A Ukrainian victory is not only beneficial but also necessary for the advancement of global security, especially in relation to shattering Russia’s imperialist agenda and containing China’s expansionist pursuits. The war in Ukraine is a challenge to democracy; thus, it is important to acknowledge that only a Ukrainian victory would legitimize and reinforce democracy and international liberal principles. Finally, Ukraine is rich in resources, including agricultural produce, critical raw materials, energy sources, and human capital. Some of the aforementioned resources are indispensable to the rest of the world and all of which would become more accessible again with a Ukrainian victory. Russian troops leaving Ukrainian territory is a prerequisite to maintaining global order, upholding the principles of democracy internationally, containing security threats from China and other authoritarian states, and allowing Ukraine to export critical resources freely.

Please reach out to advocacy@razomforukraine.org with any questions or comments.

Strategic-Importance-of-Ukraine

RazomBrief1

By Daryna Lesniak, Maryna Maiboroda, Emilia Komarova

Consulted Sources

Kyle Petersoni, Host, December 22, 2022, ‘Zelensky in Washington’, audio podcast episode, WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch https://podcasts.apple.com/ua/podcast/wsj-opinion-potomac-watch/id971901464?i=1000591034175

Cooper, Helene. “Russia and Ukraine Each Have Suffered over 100,000 Casualties, the Top U.S. General Says.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Nov. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/10/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-casualties-deaths.html.

Kitsoft. “Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine – Statement of the MFA of Ukraine on the Illegitimacy of the Russian Federation’s Presence in the UN Security Council and in the United Nations as a Whole.” Головна, https://mfa.gov.ua/en/news/zayava-mzs-ukrayini-shchodo-nelegitimnosti-perebuvannya-rosijskoyi-federaciyi-v-radi-bezpeki-oon-ta-organizaciyi-obyednanih-nacij-u-cilomu.

“Home.” Go to UkraineInvest., https://ukraineinvest.gov.ua/industries/mining/#:~:text=Ukraine%20has%20extremely%20rich%20and,magnesium%2C%20timber%2C%20and%20mercury.

“Critical Raw Materials.” CRM Alliance, https://www.crmalliance.eu/critical-raw-materials#:~:text=Critical%20Raw%20Materials%20(CRMs)%20are,risk%20associated%20with%20their%20supply.

Kontsevoi, Boris. “Council Post: The Ukrainian IT Industry Is Alive and Healthy.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 12 Oct. 2022, https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2022/10/12/the-ukrainian-it-industry-is-alive-and-healthy/?sh=566371a57f2c.

“Ukrainian It Specialist Profile – 20+ Surprising Statistics.” Devabit, https://devabit.com/blog/it-specialist-profile/.

“McConnell on Zelenskyy Visit: Helping Ukraine Directly Serves Core American Interests: Republican Leader.” Remark | Remarks | THE NEWSROOM | Republican Leader, 21 Dec. 2022, https://www.republicanleader.senate.gov/newsroom/remarks/mcconnell-on-zelenskyy-visit-helping-ukraine-directly-serves-core-american-interests.

“McConnell on Zelenskyy Visit: Helping Ukraine Directly Serves Core American Interests: Republican Leader.” Remark | Remarks | THE NEWSROOM | Republican Leader, 21 Dec. 2022, https://www.republicanleader.senate.gov/newsroom/remarks/mcconnell-on-zelenskyy-visit-helping-ukraine-directly-serves-core-american-interests.

“United States Aid to Ukraine: An Investment Whose Benefits Greatly Exceed Its Cost.” United States Aid to Ukraine: An Investment Whose Benefits Greatly Exceed Its Cost | Center for Strategic and International Studies, 4 Jan. 2023, https://www.csis.org/analysis/united-states-aid-ukraine-investment-whose-benefits-greatly-exceed-its-cost.

Michta , Andrew A. “America’s Interest in Ukrainian Victory.” City Journal, 20 Apr. 2022, https://www.city-journal.org/americas-interest-in-ukrainian-victory?wallit_nosession=1.

“American Interests in the Ukraine War.” Defense Priorities, https://www.defensepriorities.org/explainers/american-interests-in-the-ukraine-war.

Kagan, Frederick. “What’s at Risk in Ukraine, and Why It Matters to America and Its Allies.” The Hill, The Hill, 7 Dec. 2021, https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/584646-whats-at-risk-in-ukraine-and-why-it-matters-to-america-and-its/.

Towey, Hannah. “Russia’s Blockade of Ukraine Ports Is Further Complicating Dire Baby Formula Shortages in the US by Preventing Exports of Key Ingredient.” Business Insider, Business Insider, https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-war-further-complicates-us-baby-formula-shortage-sunflower-oil-2022-5. 

Summary of the $8.5 Billion Supplied by the United States to Ukraine in Direct Budget Support

Published: January 6, 2023   

The Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, in partnership with Razom for Ukraine, summarizes the $8.5 billion supplied by the United States to Ukraine in direct budget support. From pensions for seniors to salaries for first responders, US budget support has helped to guarantee Ukrainian society’s ability to defend itself and preserve continuity of government services.

Budget-Support-Infographic_2022_final

December Updates from Razom Health: Medications, Wheelchairs and More

Published: December 30, 2022   

Razom Health team continues working hard on ensuring support of American and international organizations, funds and establishments, to provide diverse aid for hospitals and Ukrainian healthcare system overall. Here are the highlights of the last month of 2022.

During wartime, Ukrainian hospitals and the wider civilian population are experiencing severe shortages of medications. Razom Health is working to meet this ever-present need. Thanks to a generous donation from our partners at Sapientia, we are happy to share that many hospitals in hot-spot regions have recently received levothyroxine – a critical thyroid medication.

Shout out to David and Rachel – pictured here with our own Razom team members – who traveled halfway around the world (NYC —> Lviv ) to hand-deliver critical supplies for surgical departments in Ukrainian hospitals. This was made possible through the “Luggage for Life” program at Afya Foundation – a dedicated Razom Health partner.

This winter, with Ukraine’s basic infrastructure under attack, reliable heat sources are of the utmost importance for medical facilities – and Razom Health is meeting this need. Pictured here are the first of several oil heaters that Razom has procured for hospitals throughout the country. These two were delivered to hospitals in Izium and Balakliia, in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv oblast.

Pictured below is the recent delivery of wheelchairs to two hospitals in central Ukraine: the Veterans Hospital in Kropyvnytskyi and Mechnikov Hospital in Dnipro.  This could only become possible thanks to our network of partners and donors – thank you for helping us support Ukraine!

These are just few examples of the critical supplies that Razom is able to procure and deliver to Ukrainian hospitals, thanks to generous donations from our community. Want to help Ukrainian doctors, nurses, and patients this winter? Please consider supporting our work – donations of all sizes make a difference!

Holiday Wishes from Razom

Published: December 22, 2022   

Dear Razom community,

Words cannot fully express our gratitude for staying razom (together) this year.  We wish you and your families a happy holiday season and we send our heartfelt thanks for your support.  If you’re looking for ways to continue to engage with Ukraine over the holidays, we’d like you to consider these ideas:

  1. After President Zalensky’s historic visit and speech to a joint session Congress, reach out to your representatives today and tomorrow to call on them to schedule a vote on H.Res.1205, which would recognize russia’s actions in Ukraine as genocide.  Follow this link to easily email, call, and tweet your Members of Congress.
  2. Join our year end giving campaign to help Ukrainians get through this winter.  With your support, we can keep Ukrainians alive and connected to each other by providing additional portable heat and power sources.  Visit our Donations Page for more info, including how to get your employer to match your gift this year.  Our donations team is also here to help, just email: donations@razomforukraine.org. 
  3. If you’re still working through your gift shopping list, consider buying something made in Ukraine to support Ukraine’s economy and those who are creating through extraordinary circumstances.  Razom rounded up a personal Holiday Gift Guide for some ideas.  
  4. Plan ahead for the remainder of December and into January with events that support Ukraine and Ukrainian culture.  Razom hosts a calendar page on its website listing the best events happening across the U.S. and sometimes the world.  If you’re in New York on Friday, December 30th join us at the Brooklyn Bowl at 7:30PM to raise up the spirit of Ukrainian resistance with Gogol Bordello, featuring an opening set by DJ Daria Kolomiec and balaklava blues from Toronto.  It’s going to be epic!
  5. Make your own Ukrainian cocktail for the holiday celebration you’re planning.  Javelin, a super-premium vodka donating 100% of it’s proceeds to support the people of Ukraine through Razom, created a Winter Mule recipe for us.  Check it out below.

Join us in contacting our Members of Congress now: https://www.votervoice.net/RAZOMFORUKRAINE/Campaigns/98795/Respond

russia has weaponized winter in Ukraine by targeting power grids and energy infrastructure all over the country, Razom is working to help as many defenders, first-responders, hospitals, and civilians as we can get through this extremely difficult time.  Your donation today, can help us scale. 

The Razom Holiday Gift Guide is a curated a list of Ukrainian brands and made-in-Ukraine products that will serve as a wonderful gift for your loved ones, and will support those who are still creating, doing and representing Ukraine. They are working through extraordinary times, and we have the power to support them in the process.

We keep track of a list of upcoming events at https://www.razomforukraine.org/calendar/ where you can find the best events to support Ukraine and Ukrainian culture around the country.  If you’re in NYC, we’ll see you at the Gogol Bordello concert presenting Ukrainian NYC Unite Eve on 12/30 @ 7:30PM!

If you’re going to celebrate this holiday season, consider making a Winter Mule using Javelin vodka who’s donating 100% of its proceeds to Razom to help Ukrainians get through the winter. 
2 oz Javelin
1/2 oz lemon 
1/2 oz pomegranate juice
Add all ingredients to drinking glass, add ice and top with ginger beer, add sprig of rosemary and lemon wheel
Будьмо!

This past weekend, with the onset of the holiday season, we wanted to recognize the hard work of our volunteers by hosting two Volunteer Appreciation Events — one virtual event to welcome all of our volunteers across countries and continents, and one in-person event inside the Ukrainian National Home in NYC’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood featuring many warm hugs and words of gratitude.  Razom is a community.  We love working, learning, and growing together.  This holiday season, we’re thankful for the opportunity to be with all of Razom’s dedicated volunteers and supporters across different mediums and platforms to continue doing good work for Ukraine.

May you find peace and joy this season, and may Ukraine prevail soon! 

Donate Now


 

UCCA, Razom, and JBANC respond to Administration “Aggressor State” Proposal

Published: December 21, 2022   

In response to the proposal by the Biden Administration to introduce legislation that would designate Russia as an Aggressor State Responsible for a Campaign of Terror Against Civilians in Ukraine (ASRCTACU), the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, the Joint Baltic American National Committee, and Razom issued the following statement:

Statement-Aggressor-State-Designation-Proposal

What we’ve been able to accomplish towards winter preparedness so far

Published: December 16, 2022   

The continuous targeting of Ukrainian energy infrastructure since the beginning of October has highlighted that energy supply isn’t just a winter issue, but a continuous wartime issue that has ripple effects across every aspect of life in Ukraine.  We look at our team, our volunteers, our working partners, and people in Ukraine persevering during the darkest and harshest period since the full-scale invasion, and we want to do more as soon as possible.  This week, updates on how we’ve been able to respond thus far.

Dear Razom community,

In the span of only 2.5 months, over 9,000 of you made a donation to Razom to make it possible for us to do everything in our power to get Ukraine closer to victory.  These days it’s meant delivering humanitarian aid that can save lives during a cold winter and constant electricity outages.  Today we want to report on that work as it impacts the work of defenders and first-responders, hospitals, and local civil society groups providing basic aid to internally displaced people in Ukraine.

We have already supplied the majority of first responder units on the frontlines, at least once.  Between now and October, we have delivered 400 wood burning portable stoves, 7,500 freeze dried meals, and over 2,500 pieces of warm tactical clothing to our Ukrainian defenders and first responders.  This is on top of our regular deliveries of IFAKs and communications equipment.

Most important during this time period have been our deliveries of 161 generators and 112 Ecoflow or Bluetti portable power stations to the frontlines.  Having electricity means having connectivity, and in war time, accessing and disseminating information can be the difference between life and death.  All of this aid has so far reached Bahmut, Kharkiv, and Kherson only — regions with the most brutal and consistent violence and destruction.

Since the first days of the invasion, Razom has been developing its own ERP system, enterprise resource planning software called Ozero to ensure effective accounting of the humanitarian aid we procure, ship and deliver between our warehouses and the final destination of aid in the hands of battalions, first responder units, and hospitals across Ukraine.  Our team of programmers and logistics managers have been refining the software so that today Ozero is used by six other organizations to track their aid in Ukraine!  In fact, if you’re an organization working to distribute aid on the ground, feel free to reach out to us to learn about how you can gain access to our Razom-made software.

The Razom Health team (formerly referred to as the Hospitals Team) won a $250,000 grant from Americares to supply generators to hospitals.  It’s one of the biggest grants we’ve received to date!

Hospital generators are differentiated by their much higher power capacity — they can’t power up an entire facility, but they can support individual units like ICUs and operating rooms.  With this grant, we’ve purchased enough to be able to supply 11 hospitals in Ukraine with reserve generators that provide between 20-80kW of power, supporting specific departments within the hospital.  These hospitals are in Mykolaiv, Zaporizhia, Dnipro, Kharkiv and Odesa regions, places that are dealing with high inflow of patients and where the risks of power disruptions and difficulties of restoring electricity supply are the greatest.  

In an aim to support Ukraine’s institutions and local economy, the Razom Health team utilized an open source government e-tender system, ProZorro, to ensure maximum transparently in our purchasing process.  The bid that won out includes Turkish manufacturers and Ukrainian distributors.  ProZorro was implemented in 2016 and has since been globally recognized as one of the most innovative public procurement systems delivering government services in a stakeholder-focused, transparent, effective, fair and low-cost way.

We can’t wait to share with you photos and videos of those generators in the right hands as soon as they get delivered and installed!

Donate Now

Last but not least, the Razom Grants team has already delivered 90 generators that will be distributed by our grantees to power places (many in Kharkiv) where Ukrainians can gather to charge their devices and get warm.  Some of these places are shelters or heating zones over 3,200 sq ft in size, and across Ukraine they’re referred to as “Points of Invincibility.”   Razom has worked to support over 100 different NGOs in Ukraine to uplift the extremely active civil society groups that organized after the invasion to help people in need.  Below are a few of the groups we’re supporting in this project:

  • Stezhka Dodomu (The Way Home) runs a shelter for victims of domestic violence in the Odessa region.  When the full scale invasion broke out, they were extremely active in helping IDPs while continuing to run their shelter, which now also includes low-income families, children who were forced to leave their homes because of the war, and senior citizens. 
  • Volonterska UA a consistent Razom Grantee based out of Kharkiv that has identified over 14 “Points of Invincibility,” heating spots across deoccupied areas in the region.   
  • A Kindergarten turned shelter whose main mechanism of preparing food is via induction stove, requiring electricity to cook.
  • Korsakiv Center of Contemporary Ukrainian Art turned shelter in Lutsk that offers frequent art, craft, yoga, breathing, dancing, and performing arts workshops for kids and adults.  It also operates next to Adrenalin City, a mall in Lutsk that’s been converted into a massive shelter. 

There are a number of amazing projects you can support that will bring you closer with Ukrainian culture, art, and history.  Below is a roundup of some of those events and fundraising opportunities.  Moving forward, you’ll also be able to catch the most up to date schedule of events and creative fundraising campaigns on our website here.

In Washinton, D.C.:

  • On Friday, December 16, 8PM, the Music Director Cynthia Woods and the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra present Holiday Pops 2022 at the Robbins Memorial Town Hall in Arlington, VA.  A festive, glamorous night out with holiday favorites including Sleigh Ride and the world premiere of Scrooge: A Christmas Overture by composer Donald Fraser—featuring Vira Slywotzky, soprano.  Get your tickets here!

In New York:

  • On Friday, January 20, 8-10PM Plast Chornomovtsi and Chornomorski Khvyli present Newark Deb Pub Night with an open bar at Lys Mykyta in NYC.  You can get your tickets on presale or at the door.  More info here (all proceeds go to Razom!).  
  • Between now and January 19, 81 Leonard Gallery is pleased to present PAUSE: Lucky Charms, a solo exhibition of recent paintings by Ukrainian-American artist Christina Saj.  The exhibitionexplores the perception of magic implicit in talismans and symbols as well as the ontological nature of spirituality.  The artwork is also available for purchase online.  40% of proceeds from the exhibit will be donated to Razom!   
  • On Saturday, February 4, 8PM at Opera America in NYC, contralto Vira Slywotzky and pianist & composer Dina Pruzhansky present This American Life, a performance of classical, popular, and folk songs from the US and Ukraine.  Email virasly@razomforukraine.org to reserve seats.
    • You can catch the performance in New Haven, CT on Sunday, January 22 at 5PM at Bethesda Lutheran Church, and in Hudson, NY on Friday, February 10 at 7PM too at Hudson Hall! 

In Massachusetts:

In Florida:

  • Introducing to the world: KOLO, an unparalleled immersive visual experience and theatrical dance show celebrating the rich artistic and cultural heritage of Ukraine!  The first of its kind, KOLO is the brainchild of award-winning, Ukrainian-bred competitive ballroom dancers and partners, Iaroslav and Liliia Bieliei, both natives of Kyiv who now call Los Angeles home.  The show is launching its North American tour in Florida:

Online:

  • Stream a historic performance of the National Ballet of Ukraine from Orlando, FL at the prestigious Steinmetz Hall on August 27, 2022, and donate to help raise humanitarian aid for Ukrainian children and families.  The National Ballet of Ukraine is considered one of the top ranked ballet companies in the world.  Cozy up with your friends and loved ones and watch a special performance that affirms the power of art and beauty over tyranny and destruction.
  • Awethentic Gallery’s latest charity campaign, Prints for Ukraine, features a variety of artworks from award-winning journalists and photographers across the world, including Mykhaylo Palinchak who served as the official photographer of the President of Ukraine; Emmy-nominated journalist Laurel Chor and renowned documentary photographer, Natalie Keyssar.  All artworks are $150 and 100% of net proceeds of prints go directly to our artists and critical humanitarian war relief charities Razom and World Central Kitchen.  

Globally: 

  • Started by a Ukrainian yoga teacher, Yoga4Ukraine aims to bring together 1,000 yoga teachers all around the world that each donate ONE yoga class!  Any style, any format, anywhere, anytime. Visit  www.yoga4ukraine.com  to officially become a part of the Yoga4Ukraine project or find a class near you, and get your Yoga4Ukraine t-shirt to support the initiative today.  All donations will benefit United24 and Razom.  

Thank you so much for reading this newsletter, sharing it, generously donating to our projects, and for showing your support for Ukraine.  We are immensely grateful.

Stay razom.

P.S. – This time of year a lot of companies are offering matching options for your donations throughout the year.  Make sure to take advantage of that!  If you have any questions, please reach out to donations@razomforukraine.org.  

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