Last week, Ukraine had cause to celebrate: the historic operation of Ukraine’s secret service blew up a quarter of Russia’s strategic bombers. Russia retaliated by bombed residential areas, hit a maternity ward in Odesa, killed children in Kharkiv, and terrorized Kyivans for two nights with swarms of kamikaze drones, but the Ukrainian spirit stayed strong and our underslept volunteers continued their daily glorious work.

“Greetings to you, friends…Over the past week, we completed 12 trips and evacuated 54 people…The enemy continues to advance toward Druzhkivka, bypassing Kostiantynivka from the West. Every night, Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka, and Mykolaivka suffer attacks from FABs, Shaheds, or ballistic missiles. Negotiations continue, but the enemy is clearly aiming to destroy and then seize the Donetsk Region without regard for civilian casualties. We continue our mission.”

It’s become almost a tradition that each time Western media hypes up the likelihood of a ceasefire, Russia launches large-scale airstrikes against civilians in Ukrainian cities.

A key route our Dnipro volunteers use to deliver aid to Donbas has come under attack. This is a symptom reflecting a larger trend of continued fighting with slow encroachment of Russian forces on Ukrainian territory. Despite these developments, the teams were busy delivering bread, water, and agricultural supplies.

Despite Russia’s public declarations of a ceasefire during the May holidays, our teams on the ground report that the so-called “quiet” in the Donbas has existed in name only.

All is (not) quiet on the Eastern front. Ukrainian cities suffered airstrikes on each of the last seven days. The approaching bacchanalia of Victory Day celebrations in Russia resulted in an increased number of attacks along the entire frontline. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian teams completed more than 100 missions, 40 of them in high-risk areas.

Last week, attacks on Ukrainian cities continued alongside relentless combat on the contact line. More Russian drones are reaching cities as intercept rates decline.

Last Sunday Ukraine celebrated Easter. This holiday holds special significance for Ukrainians, especially during the war. Easter is not only a focal point for Ukrainian culture, folk traditions, and language, but is also infused with symbolism, giving people hope for resurrection and triumph of good over evil.

At the crossroads of inspiration and desperation, last week three members of the UTC US volunteer team traveled to the Ukraine Action Summit in Washington DC, organized by the American Coalition for Ukraine.

Last week extended the long list of cases when our volunteers were visibly shaken by Russia’s continued assault on Ukraine’s civilian population

As if in mockery of any rose-colored hopes for imminent peace, Russia brutally bombed civilian areas in Dnipro, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Kyiv last week.

Our US volunteers have built up a certain cynicism about the widespread hopes for an imminent ceasefire. We observe the situation through our nightly dialogues with Ukrainian volunteers who are taking shelter during air raids. We see that the agreement to stop attacks on the energy infrastructure has not reduced the number of explosions in Ukraine, but has only led to an increase in the number of  attacks on civilian areas.

“I read the messages from our American friends with great joy. Their words fill me with deep gratitude and instill confidence that we are not alone, that there are wonderful, sincere, and kind people, who understand the complexity of our situation and support us as much as they can. We will never forget this.

“It is very important for us to know that the citizens of the United States stand with us, that we are united in our aspirations, and that far across the ocean, we have friends who will not abandon us in difficult times. For all of this, we are sincerely and infinitely grateful.”

-Ihor, Dobra sprava

We thank you for the kind, heartfelt notes of support you have sent to our Ukrainian volunteers and for the moral clarity you have shown in these messages. We are translating your words and passing them along. This is an incredibly important process, which forges a direct connection between Ukrainians and their allies who see the truth. Away from the high-stakes negotiations and TV cameras, Ukrainians face the constant threat of Russia’s terror.

Since last week, we have received many messages of support from our fellow Americans. We continue to translate every one of these messages and share them with the volunteers in Ukraine. Reading what you have written brings some of the volunteers to tears. These words mean as much to them as your financial support.

In the first days of the war, Ukraine acted alone and defied the aggressors. Though, the situation in Ukraine once again seems dire and we fear that the US government might discontinue military support, we remember those early days, and Ukraine’s persistent ability to surprise those who doubt its strength. Our volunteers continue their work. Thank you for standing with them.

This Monday will mark three years from the start of the full-scale invasion. Demonstrations in support of Ukraine will be held all across the world this Saturday, Feb 22 and the following Monday. We hope that you will join our team at these rallies.

Our teams are always pushing toward the most dangerous areas, getting as close to the front line as possible.

The Ukrainian military is stepping up conscription.

The US government has stopped all humanitarian aid to Ukraine. UTC does not rely on government grants, but we do rely on the generosity of our donors. We hope that you will continue your support. Please consider sharing our newsletter with at least one new person, even if they aren’t able to donate. Please also follow us on social media, including our newest Bluesky account @ukrainetrustchain.bsky.social. And, f you have an idea for a discussion, or would like to host a fundraiser, let us know!