Bus with donations heads off to troops in Donetsk region

In a campaign “Let’s Warm Troops in Donetsk” organized by Entrepreneurs For Peace Fund in cooperation with the National Armed Forces and the State Police in six hours filled up a bus with donations, which in cooperation with Twitter Convoy has already headed off to Ukraine.

“We are thankful to every family who responded to the call and brought their donations for the troops – warm clothes, footwear, sleeping bags, blankets, heat elements. Ukrainian defenders will receive many pairs of socks and mittens knitted with love, reminding about the huge support of our nation. We managed to engage people in the campaign with the support of several organizations – the National Armed Forces, the State Police, the Road Traffic Safety Directorate, Spice shopping mall, proving that together we are very strong,” said Entrepreneurs For Peace director Laura Skrodele.

“Already since 2014, when the Kremlin started the conflict in Donbas, the National Armed Forces have been providing support to the Ukrainian troops. Therefore, we have developed close and personal friendship ties with many Ukrainian troops and units. Many of these troops currently are fighting against Russia’s aggression in the Donetsk region. Therefore, for almost a year, in close cooperation with the Entrepreneurs For Peace Fund we have been engaged in delivering different kind of assistance to Ukraine. It is very important for soldiers on the battlefield to keep warm, therefore, clothing donated by Latvia residents is a very significant support. However, possibly the warmth of the heart our residents are sending to Ukraine with these donations is even of a greater importance, said Colonel Maris Tutins, the chief of the Information Analysis and Management Department of the National Armed Forces Joint Headquarters.

“Ukraine needs support and any kind of assistance, big or small, is important. The State Police is regularly revising its internal resources, donating its transport, equipment to the war-stricken Ukraine, while partners help to prepare and send these donations where they are most necessary. This day shows again that any of us may provide support in different ways in order to warm, feed and possibly save lives of Ukrainian defenders. I am glad that we all – the society, organisations and institutions – are acting together to help,” said Deputy chief of the State Police, chief of the Main Administrative Department, Normunds Grubis.

One of the supporters of the campaign is SJSC Road Traffic Safety Directorate (CSDD) who in line with the law on support to Ukrainian civilians, will provide different services for registration of transport vehicles. CSDD board member Dace Benhena believes: “At the time when public attention to Ukrainian people decreases, the work of organizations and people who continue to provide assistance, calling on people not to forget others, is crucial. Therefore, I would like to especially thank Entrepreneurs For Peace Fund and Laura Skrodele personally for the huge work that is being done. Also, CSSD as a company and its employees individually have donated and will donate clothing and financial funds. We have decided to cover the costs of Entrepreneurs For Peace for the services related with registration, deregistration of transport vehicles, change of owners and other activities in order to ensure that the donated cars reach Ukrainian defenders as soon as possible.”

“We, Spice shopping mall, since the first days of the war have voiced our support to the those who are affected by the warfare and all Ukrainian residents, therefore the decision to support campaign “Let’s Warm Troops in Donetsk” seemed logical. War is not a self-evident thing, and one may not get used to it, therefore we call on everyone to donate to Ukrainian defenders as they see it possible,” said Iveta Priedite, the head of shopping centres Spice and Spice Home.

Since the first day of the war, Entrepreneurs For Peace Fund together with more than 200 Latvian companies has been organising active assistance, in addition to humanitarian aid, raising funds worth more than EUR 4.5 million. Entrepreneurs For Peace partners in Latvia are the Defence Ministry, the National Armed Forces, the Foreign Ministry, the Ukrainian Embassy in Latvia, Ziedot.lv, Twitter Convoy and other organizations providing humanitarian aid. The recipient of donations is the Ukrainian armed forces.