On May 5, representatives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine received the keys to four ambulances and documents for them. The handover ceremony took place in the KPI on the square near the monument to Igor Sikorsky.
The acquisition and delivery of these much-needed medical special vehicles to Ukraine became possible thanks to the initiative of the representative of the International NGO "Environmental Safety Council" in the Kingdom of Belgium, the founder of the social project "Ukraine Mission of Ihor Vitenko", a well-known doctor and public figure Ihor Vitenko, as well as the Belgian volunteer community, supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Peace Council and the NGO "Environmental Safety Council".
Mykhailo Zgurovsky, Chairman of the Ukrainian Peace Council and Rector of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, said warm words about Igor Vitenko and his mission: "Ihor Vitenko is a Ukrainian who has been living in Belgium for more than 20 years and is one of the few wound care specialists officially recognized in Belgium... When the war broke out on February 24, 2022, Ihor immediately went to Vinnytsia, where he operated on several hundred wounded soldiers in difficult conditions (sometimes without anesthesia). He trained more than 150 nursing staff from all regions of Ukraine in the EU standards for wound care specialists, some of whom have already completed an internship in a Belgian medical institution..." He also said that Ihor Vitenko's charity mission had delivered 58 trucks with medical supplies to Ukraine: medical beds; X-ray machines; hemodialysis machines; ultrasound equipment; medical furniture; wheelchairs; bandages; 64 ambulances for the Defense Forces and hospitals, which also carried medical supplies. In total, the amount of aid is estimated at about 3.5 million euros…
The ceremony was attended by Ihor Vitenko, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Belgium to Ukraine Peter Van de Velde, Deputy Chairman of the International NGO Environmental Safety Council Valeriy Tsybukh, representative of the Belgian volunteer community Galina Matyusha, Advisor to the Chief of the Kharkiv Military Garrison Anatoliy Butenko with a group of Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen and others.
"Without the support of the Belgians, we would not have been able to realize what we have done so far. I myself did not expect the project to be of such a scale. In 2022, I came to Ukraine and thought that it would be the same as in 2014, when I also operated on wounded Ukrainian defenders in a military hospital for a month. But this time, together with the Ukrainian diaspora in Belgium, we raised funds and purchased 4 ambulances, loaded them with the necessary equipment and medicines. This is how it all started. Hundreds of people joined my initiative, including my colleagues not only in Belgium but also relatives from America and Canada," Ihor Vitenko told the participants.
Ambassador of Belgium Peter Van de Velde added: "A coalition of 50 countries is providing assistance to Ukraine. The European Union, founded by the Kingdom of Belgium, provides legal, financial and humanitarian assistance. This is not only the assistance provided by the Government, today we have witnessed that this assistance is provided by the Belgians. This is money and assistance raised by Belgian citizens. We also admire the support provided by Mr. Vitenko to Ukraine. I hope it will continue until Ukraine's victory."
On May 5, the donated special vehicles were sent to eastern Ukraine...
"I would like to convey to you the words of gratitude from the command of the Kharkiv military garrison for your help," Anatoliy Butenko addressed Igor Vitenko, "I would also like to express my sincere gratitude on behalf of the soldiers who have been rehabilitated with the equipment you have provided to our medical center. These are more than three thousand fighters who are now defending our homeland and bringing our Victory closer!"
Medical vehicles for the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Four special vehicles from Belgium are being sent to the front line for the Ukrainian military. The vehicles are needed to transport wounded soldiers from the active combat zone.
The cars were handed over at the square near the monument to Igor Sikorsky in the KPI. Among the organizers of the volunteer initiative is the Ukrainian Peace Council, headed by the rector of KPI.