From Kupyansk to Kherson, volunteers from Team4Ukraine moved in the past week to bring aid to the defenders' units, the children's hospital or the White Angels, who ensure the evacuation of civilians from the besieged Avdijivka, to the places torn by the war conflict.
The first part of the expedition left the Czech Republic on the night of Saturday 25 November 2023 in the number of four cars. The two vans and two humanitarian aid ambulances were later joined by another vehicle operating in Ukraine as part of the war crimes dossier.
When the second group left the Czech Republic for Kherson in the early hours of Monday, the volunteers from the first group were already working in Kupjansk. "The city is gloomy, empty, there are only a few residents left here. Today, Kupjansk is mainly a military town, several garrisons are located here. At the time of our presence, the situation was bleak, bombardment could be heard in the vicinity, and there were also power cuts. The city is not maintained, the roads are broken both because they are not maintained due to the proximity of the front line, and also because of the way heavy equipment drives there. It's a city where the front passed twice, so it's bombed and shot at in many places, the windows are broken, in short, the environment has a negative effect on people," Jan "Sully" Heřmánek described his impressions of Kupjansk. Both ambulances were handed over right in the city, one of which was purchased from the collections of the Gift for Putin and the other from the funds of Team4Ukraine donors. Ambulances will be used to rescue civilians and transport wounded soldiers. Charging stations, a diesel generator, ultrasound, blood warmers, oximeters, tourniquets, medical disinfection, thermal clothing, field stoves suitable for trenches, winter boots and many other equipment went into the hands of doctors and soldiers from the 41st Independent Mechanized Brigade. Health workers operate in very improvised conditions in abandoned houses and face constant risk. The Russians also consider doctors and ambulances a legitimate military target.
On Monday night, the first group moved to Pokrovsk, where things for the White Angels were handed over. Police officers operating under this designation carry out the last possible evacuation from the besieged Avdijivka. It was here, during the last trip of volunteers from Team4Ukraine, that the idea was born to supply them with quality winter jackets, gloves, disinfectant tablets and a charging station. Small Czech donors responded quickly to an urgent call on social networks, and the necessary funds appeared on a transparent account within a few hours.
On Tuesday evening, both groups met at an overnight stay in Mykolaiv. Seven months ago, the city was adjacent to the front, after the successful spring offensive of Ukrainian forces in the Kherson region, today it is a living, functioning city, to which many residents have returned. Nevertheless, even here, war breathes on you, whether in the form of destroyed buildings or the ever-present fear of a possible drone or missile attack. Also for that reason, the nights were used to deliver aid to the 503rd Separate Battalion of Marines. Marines originally from today's occupied Mariupol received a powerful marine engine, an older repaired Land Rover for reconnaissance purposes, thermal clothing, ultrasound, LCD monitors, blood warmers and other equipment at their previous request. "The forty-horsepower engine will be primarily used by the marines to supply advanced units," said Jožka "Riggs" Starý, who is in charge of the support of the 503rd separate battalion of marines in Team4Ukraine.
On Wednesday, both teams left for Kherson. At the unbreakable point, children's necessities were laid out. An incubator and medical equipment were handed over to the children's hospital, while other needs of the hospital were discussed over tea. Fortunately, she has already succeeded to a large extent in replacing the equipment stolen by the Russian occupiers. The paramedics also showed us a collection of shrapnel that they had removed from children, or remnants of ammunition that fell on the hospital grounds. The story about the hiding of children from being abducted to Russia, which is purposefully taking place from the occupied territories, had a heavy impact.
A non-moving vehicle that served the local helpers of Team4Ukraine had to be removed from Kherson and had received several hits from the occupiers' fire in the past. The administration and official shiml work war not war. The vehicle was not officially registered for export and had to leave the territory of Ukraine and return to the Czech Republic within twelve months.
"Kherson is also a frontline city, unlike Kupjansk, I would say that it is much livelier. People are trying to return here, and at first glance, apart from the much larger number of checkpoints and the movement of soldiers in the city, one would not recognize a fundamental difference from, for example, Mykolaiv. But strange things happen there, for example, when we were loading the vehicle, the locals left due to the movement of more people in one place, which attracts attack drones. They feared that something would soon arrive at the site. But we had nothing to spare, we had to load the car. Or when you give aid to a military unit, you have to wear a protective helmet and a vest, even in the city like this, and a mother walks by with a stroller and tries to put the child to sleep, and she's actually used to the fact that artillery shells fall a kilometer or two away, explosions can be heard quite strongly. Nevertheless
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