Today Marks Three Years Of The Horrific War In Ukraine
Today marks three years since the Russian federation began it's unprovoked attack on the nation of Ukraine, and Mark Yurkiw is again responding.
Above, volunteers load a container with supplies and equipment bound for Ukraine this weekend. Contributed photos.
Today marks three years since the Russian federation began it's unprovoked attack on the nation of Ukraine, and Mark Yurkiw is again responding.
Mark Yurkiw is an artist living in Westport and the son of Ukrainian parents who came to the US in 1949. When the war began, Mark, whose first language is Ukrainian, immediately began efforts to help the country as it struggled to defend itself against a brutal invasion by Russia, working with two non-profits, Ukraine Aid International and Ridgefield Responds.
For 3 years he has made this his mission, gathering donations, organizing volunteers and he has made several trips to Ukraine to see first-hand the needs of this nation as it fights for it's very survival against a brutal dictator. He, along with other volunteers have sent multiple containers of the things needed to support Ukraine from medical supplies and equipment to humanitarian items for the people who in some cases have lost everything as Russia bombs homes, apartment buildings, schools and civilian targets.
He has helped with efforts by Westporters to support her Ukrainian sister city, Lyman
Mark is still working hard to Ukraine and this weekend Mark and his volunteer friends have been hard at work once again.
Mark gave WestportLocalPress this comprehensive update on his latest efforts to aid Ukraine, even as she faces a different political landscape in the United States and what that may portend:
Ridgefield Connecticut - 2/21/25
"Out of a matter of Urgency at 8:30 Friday morning a 40ft container truck arrived at the warehouse shed for loading medical equipment bound for Ukraine stored at the Ridgefield Transfer Station. Four and a half hours and 10 Ukrainians with 2 forklifts got about 45 pallets loaded so tightly packed the doors had to be pushed shut with the forklifts for muscle. Ross Voytovych with his mother Nadia, who took inventory, ran the operation to coordinate packing the pallets with the help of volunteers that showed up to help.
Thanks to the disaster relief organization, Ridgefield Responds Non-Profit, and Ridgefield’s First Selectman they are able to store what is collected at the town Transfer Station. This was the 5th shipping container sent to the front lines over the last 3 years, just from Ridgefield. All donated, this shipment, valued over a hundred thousand dollars, came mostly from an assisted living facility in Wilton. This wasn’t the first time ten volunteers came from all over Fairfield County to help. When Putin’s war first began, one Ukrainian family in Redding kept a container truck parked in their driveway, people would come at all hours with donations. Each time the truck was full it left for the Jersey shore to be loaded onto a ship. Now at the beginning of the 3rd year of this unnecessary war the Ukrainians in Fairfield county are working harder then ever to get what’s needed.
Mark Yurkiw had been to the front lines in Ukraine in October. The trip was to assess what the hospitals there needed while delivering chest compression bandages and tourniquets to the people and soldiers on the front lines. Mark Yurkiw traveled across Ukraine from west to east to deliver lifesaving humanitarian aid to the front lines near Kharkiv in the east."
Volunteers braved the early morning cold to organize and load pallets and packaging to be loaded into the shipping container to be sent to Ukraine.
Mark has provided a 15 minute video on Youtube which immerses you in how the people in Ukraine integrate their daily lives with this senseless terrorism. We suggest you view this video to see what Mark has found and helped to accomplish in Ukraine.
Here is the link to that video: https://youtu.be/AEGWEjRvZSA
Mark told WestportLocalPress, "There is already another container load in the warehouse getting ready to go. The next step to get it to the Ukraine Aid International warehouse in Kharkiv, Ukraine. With the help of UAI which was started in Westport, Ridgefield Responds, and your help we can get it there to save lives.
….all we need right now is another $8,000 for shipping to get it there.
YOU can save a life by making a Tax Deductible Donation to Ridgefield Responds for shipping right now."
To help Mark with his mission visit the websites below:
Donate To Ridgefield Responds: www.ridgefieldresponds.org
To learn more abut Ukraine Aid International: www.ukraineaidinternational.org
At left, the process of packing the shipping container from floor to ceiling has begun.