The East SOS Charity Foundation Has Reached Half of Its Fundraising Goal for Electronic Warfare Equipment. Read the Stories and Keep Donating!

In August 2025, the East SOS Charity Foundation launched a major fundraiser – “Electronic Warfare Equipment: A Shield for Those Who Save Lives” – with the goal of raising UAH 2 million to purchase six units of electronic warfare equipment.

As of today, East SOS has raised UAH 1 million – half of the target amount.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who has contributed to achieving this important milestone.

The East SOS team, together with our friends and partners, has made an enormous effort to reach this point. To support the campaign, we launched an extensive information initiative that was covered by dozens of media outlets. Almost every week, East SOS evacuation crews appeared on live TV broadcasts, sharing their real-life experiences from the frontline. Our regional teams also organized charity events in the Zatyshno Space centers in Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia. Meanwhile, 17 supporters opened “friendly jars”, the funds raised during the annual Opinion Festival were transferred to the EW campaign, and foreign photographers joined our evacuation missions to document the realities of frontline evacuations and raise donations abroad. Our friends in Leipzig even organized an independent charity concert in support of the campaign. We will share these inspiring stories soon – but for now, the fundraising continues, and we are not slowing down.

We are now calling for further donations to support the purchase of electronic warfare equipment – a vital tool that will protect civilian evacuations from enemy attacks and save the lives of East SOS evacuation crews.

The russian army deliberately targets evacuation and humanitarian missions. Its goal is not only to destroy and occupy cities and villages but also to intimidate civilians, disrupt evacuations, and seize control over people and territories. Ukrainians under occupation are turned into “human shields,” tools of political pressure, forced conscripts, and instruments of propaganda.

“It’s terrifying to see your car in the crosshairs of an enemy drone – live, on television,” – Roman Buhaiov, East SOS evacuation crew member.

Every East SOS evacuation worker stands as a beacon of humanity, defying the enemy’s intent to destroy life. Read their stories of courage, be inspired, and help protect them – donate toward electronic warfare equipment.

Roman Matsevko, once an IT project coordinator and archaeologist, now stands on the frontlines as one of our dedicated evacuation workers. He knows the value of ancient artifacts—but even more, the priceless worth of human life. Today, his mission is clear: to save people, the living treasures of our nation, rather than ancient relics. Years of evacuation work have given his life a new purpose and inspired his war novel, Shadows of the Past. Roman dreams of victory and hopes one day to ride the waves on a surfboard. But for now, his focus is rescuing those in greatest need.

Roman Zhylienkov, once a skilled woodworker and boxing coach in Luhansk, now fights for human lives on the frontline as an evacuation worker with East SOS. He knows too well the impossible choices people face when danger is near. One of his missions in Bakhmut stands out: under heavy fire, Roman rescued a cat because its owners refused to leave without it. This was more than saving an animal—it was a testament that every life, no matter how small, is worth the risk. Roman dreams of seeing his grandchildren grow up in a free Ukraine and returning to coaching. But today, his focus is unwavering: keeping people safe in the most dangerous conditions.

Roman Buhaiov, a man who once repaired an old bus in just two days and then drove it thousands of kilometers to rescue people from danger. Today, he is an experienced evacuation worker who has safely evacuated hundreds of Ukrainians from the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Sumy regions. Roman goes where others fear, risking everything to save lives.

Eduard Skoryk, once a dump truck driver, joined the East SOS evacuation crew after rescuing his friend’s family. Today, his mission is to bring hope and safety to those waiting to be evacuated. Every rescue leaves a mark on him, but one stands out: his grandfather waiting under fire in Bakhmut, who said, “Edichek, I knew you would come for me.” Those words changed Eduard forever. He knows that many people cannot care for themselves—but they all deserve protection.

Roman Koltsov, who once worked in medical rehabilitation and studied osteopathy in Spain, now dedicates his life to saving those most affected by the war. For him, each mission is not only a responsibility but also an honor. “Saving and protecting people is our duty as Ukrainians,” says Roman. One moment he will never forget was rescuing an artist from the Kherson region, who had been forced to destroy his own paintings in order to survive the occupation. For Roman, this was more than saving a person—it was preserving a soul, a memory, and a piece of culture.

Yevhen Poianskyi joined the East SOS evacuation crew following the example of his son—and now, father and son stand together on the frontlines of rescue. Side by side, they help people escape the terror of shelling. On one mission, they evacuated a man with a disability from Kherson, and later returned to save his mother. To this day, they remain in touch, a testament that every evacuation is not just a mission but a bond, a story of human dignity and care. Yevhen believes that to be worthy of the title “rescuer” means to act with strength, confidence, and compassion every single time.

Vladyslav Poianskyi, once a sound engineer crafting audio for films and games, now devotes his skills and courage to a different mission—helping people escape the war. He rescues them so they can finally hear what they dream of most: silence. A life without shelling, without the constant roar of conflict. Inspired by the stories of IDPs hosted by his family, Vladyslav joined the East SOS team to make a real difference. On missions, the sight of children playing among the ruins of destroyed villages weighs heavily on him. He believes deeply that everyone who wants to leave must be given a chance to live in safety.

Serhii Rozhok, once a builder of strong, reliable roofs for homes and churches in Kharkiv, now uses that same dedication to protect lives as an evacuation worker with East SOS. “It is very difficult to sit idle,” he says—and these words perfectly capture his spirit. Through the years, he has traveled across every frontline region of Ukraine. He has seen destruction, grief, and countless tragedies. Yet, every day, he finds the strength to help others.

Oleksandr Stasenko, once a skilled mechanic and plumber, is now a vital member of the East SOS evacuation crew—risking his life to help others escape relentless shelling and find safety. “I really want to help people be saved,” he says. Oleksandr knows what it means to lose everything. He was forced to leave his own home in Donetsk after 2014. He remembers vividly evacuating a woman and her disabled child after their home in Toretsk was destroyed. For him, such missions are more than rescue operations—they are acts of offering hope for a new beginning. His greatest dream is to return home to Donetsk—and he wants others to achieve their dreams, too.

Vladyslav Arsenii, once a businessman in Donetsk and a devoted supporter of FC Shakhtar, knows too well what it means to lose everything. In 2014, he lost his own home. In 2022, he joined East SOS to help others keep what is most precious: their lives. His greatest dream is victory—so that every Ukrainian can return safely to their homes, rebuild their lives, and embrace their families once again.

Roman Prasil, a translator by profession, chose to put aside his personal ambitions to serve a greater cause—saving lives. Today, as part of the East SOS evacuation crew, he sees his true mission: bringing people out of danger and ensuring they reach safety with dignity. Among countless rescues, one story stays with him—a meeting with three elderly women from the Kherson region who had been walking for three days through devastation just to reach free Ukraine.

Before joining East SOS, Davyd Pahava repaired cars, recycled plastic, and worked as a fixer. Today, he serves as an evacuator with our foundation. Davyd began helping people back in 2014, and since the start of the full-scale invasion, he has consciously dedicated his life to what has become his mission – rescue.

Davyd deeply values human life and cannot remain indifferent to the suffering of animals. In 2020, during the wildfires in the Luhansk region, he rescued animals from danger – an experience that taught him one simple truth: every life matters. Although his current role is mainly administrative, Davyd plays a key part in helping our crews evacuate people from the frontline.

Davyd and his team need an electronic warfare device to keep evacuating people safely. This is not just equipment – it’s a shield that reduces the deadly threat of enemy FPV drones.

East SOS has unparalleled experience in saving civilians, showing resilience and dedication for the 4 years in a row. But today, our teams need extra protection — namely, electronic warfare (EW) systems that jam enemy drones and their control signals, shielding evacuation vehicles from attack.

Since 2022, the foundation has helped 89,000 people escape danger, including more than 13,000 from vulnerable groups — people with limited mobility, isolated elderly residents unable to leave frontline areas on their own, and others in dire need. In earlier stages of the war, evacuation vehicles could safely approach within 5 km of the front line. But over the past year, enemy tactics have shifted: russian forces now target convoys with FPV drones. Today, even approaching within 20 km of the front has become a deadly gamble.

Electronic warfare systems are urgently needed to turn this gamble into a mission carried out with confidence — ensuring that crews and evacuees remain protected. This is the only way to keep saving large families, people with disabilities, the elderly, and their pets — often the only companions left to them.

Every donation is a direct contribution to saving lives.