The Knowledge Square of the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute is bathed in the hot May sun. There's a long line of medical vehicles and vehicles for evacuating the wounded from the battlefield.
Soon, Ukrainian military will take the driver's seat in them. The equipment was purchased and delivered to Ukraine by activists of the International NGO Environmental Safety Council in the Kingdom of Belgium.
This volunteer action became possible thanks to the initiative of Ihor Vitenko, a well-known doctor and founder of the social project "Ihor Vitenko Ukrainian Mission", as well as the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Ukraine, the Belgian volunteer community, the Ukrainian Peace Council, the NGO "Ukrainian Alliance" and others.
It is no coincidence that Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute has become the site for the transfer of these extremely important vehicles for the Ukrainian army for the third time. The Ukrainian Peace Council has been closely and fruitfully cooperating with the university for several years in a row. Moreover, the Rector of Kyiv Polytechnic Mykhailo Zgurovsky is the Chairman of this respected public organization. "As part of Ihor Vitenko's social project to support frontline medicine, 14 special medical vehicles designed to transport wounded soldiers from the combat zone have arrived in Kyiv from Belgium today and will continue to go to the front," he said at the ceremony of handing over the special vehicles to representatives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.
Ihor Vitenko, a Ukrainian who has been living in Belgium for more than 20 years and working at the Jan Palfijn Hospital in Ghent, also addressed the people gathered on May 1 at the Place de la Recherche. He is one of the few wound care specialists officially recognized in Belgium. Ihor Vitenko said that since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine, the mission he heads, with the help of Belgian volunteers, has delivered more than 90 medical vehicles and 73 large trucks of equipment and medicines to Ukrainian soldiers.
The ceremony was also attended by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Belgium to Ukraine Peter Van de Velde. "Ukraine is not alone. Free nations around the world stand shoulder to shoulder with it," he emphasized, "And the aid that has come to you today thanks to the Belgian volunteer network is proof that not only our government, but also the people, ordinary people, support Ukraine... Because today Ukraine is on the border. On the border between democracy and dictatorship, between the rule of law and the "right of force", between good and evil. And it needs our help."
A representative of one of the military units, chaplain Ruslan Polikrovsky, having received the keys and documents for a vehicle to evacuate the wounded, said in a conversation with journalists: "Thanks to the great help of our friends, our fellow countrymen - representatives of the diaspora in different countries of the world, we can jointly overcome the enemy and, united, win.
We are indeed not alone in our struggle...
14 medical specialty vehicles have been sent to evacuate and save lives of soldiers in the hottest spots of the frontline. The jeeps, pickups and ambulances with the necessary medical equipment were sent to various military units: the Azov regiment, Ukrainian border guards, the National Guard and special services.
This volunteer initiative in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was made possible through the cooperation of representatives of the Ukrainian Peace Council, the International Public Organization "Council for Environmental Safety", the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Ukraine, the Belgian volunteer community, and the social project "Ihor Vitenko Ukrainian Mission".
Kyiv Polytechnic also joined the charity. This is the third time that such cars have been delivered to KPI.
"During this time, more than 20 vehicles have been transferred with the support of KPI. Therefore, we want to thank the Igor Vitenko Foundation, with which KPI has close cooperation. We are strengthening our partnership every day. And we will be very glad if we will continue to have the opportunity to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine together," said Vadym Kondratiuk, Vice-Rector for Administrative Work of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute.
"We really need these vehicles now. They are like water, like life for the military," said the military chaplain.
The initiative was joined by the Ukrainian Peace Council, the Belgian volunteer community, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Ukraine, and Kyiv Polytechnic, which is hosting the third delivery of such ambulances.