June 12th, 2025
68,134 people evacuated from danger to date
51 people evacuated from danger this week
37 trips into deoccupied and frontline territories this week
Last week was one of contrasts. For the first time in a long while everyone we know in Ukraine was celebrating. The historic Operation Spiderweb carried out by Ukraine’s secret service had destroyed up to a quarter of Russia’s strategic bombers — the same planes that terrorize Ukraine, releasing cruise missiles from deep within Russia. This victory felt like justice, raising everyone’s spirits. But we all knew what would come next. In response, Russia launched a bombing campaign on residential areas, hit a maternity ward in Odesa, killed children in Kharkiv, and kept Kyivans up for two nights, terrorizing them with swarms of kamikaze drones. In spite of this, Ukrainian spirits stayed strong and our underslept volunteers continued their daily, glorious work.
Stories
Agricultural Project Distribution Summary
The last 250 families in the frontline villages of Podhora and Maksymivka in the Kharkiv Region received seedlings and seeds to plant their vegetable gardens, completing a massive multi-month effort spearheaded by Inna’s amazing volunteers. There are many stories to tell about each of these villages, but today we want to provide a concise summary of the work performed. We ask you to remember that each number represents a huge group of people in need, who deal with incredible hardship, overcoming difficulties, and who thank us and you for the personal support they have received.
Aid provided to 57 villages and towns in seven regions of Ukraine.
Distributed 12,500 seed packages and 10,000 seedling packages.
31,125 people received seeds; 29,382 people received seedlings.
Seeds and seedlings were distributed separately but with significant overlap in recipients.
Key recipient categories were women-led households (27%), female internally displaced people (IDPs) (23%), single mothers (14%), people whose homes were destroyed (6.8%), and people with disabilities (7%).
Providing Assistance to Shelters
We have been working closely with our long-time partners, Pomahaem Foundation in Dnipro to expand help to Dnipro shelters. UTC has been supporting shelters since the early months of the war. We have learned a great deal about the complexities of managing a community home, housing close to 100 IDPs. In addition to housing, shelters provide a crucial sense of belonging and dignity for the residents. Despite all the drawbacks of shelter living, these refuge communities serve as an essential anchor, without which Ukrainians are far too likely to return to their dangerous frontline villages and towns.
Last week we were fortunate to help a unique shelter Children of the Future, which specializes in housing 16 single mothers and their 26 children. Working closely with Pomahaem, and relying on their ability to vet and filter requests, we were able to offer shelter resident one-time help with their utility bills, essential appliances, mattresses and other items for the general improvement of conditions. We are navigating this process with caution to ensure that we do not create a dependency in these communities, but we are happy to find opportunities that significantly improve the lives of so many people and prevent sudden disruptions in their already complicated lives.
“People Are Begging Us Not to Leave Them Without Water”
After months of recovery from the tragic drone attack that severely wounded him and killed his son Artur, Vladyslav Kucheryavenko returned to the work of delivering water to Mykolaiv and Kherson. He recently wrote us the following update:
Greetings to all the good people who continue to support our Mykolaiv team of volunteers! For three years now you have consistently enabled us to provide Mykolaiv and Kherson residents with drinking water. Despite all the promises [from the authorities], the water situation there remains difficult.
The summer heat has begun and the need for water is starting to increase, but unfortunately our human resources have not kept pace. One of our volunteers has had to go abroad to join his wife and children. My son Artur was killed by an enemy drone on November 24 [of last year] while distributing humanitarian aid, and I myself was seriously injured.
For several months, our entire project was supported by one person, Vasyl Chabanov. Later, we were able to recruit Volodymyr Pylypchuk to deliver water to Kherson. Vasyl can no longer make these trips due to problems with the mobilization authorities. At the end of April, I was able to return to active participation in the project, but Vasyl cannot go out with water at all now, and can only help at our headquarters warehouse. It is becoming more difficult to work, but people are begging us not to leave them without water. We are maintaining the water supply, although it is not easy. Once again, we sincerely thank you for your support.
Iryna’s Lifeline
For some internally displaced refugees (IDPs), Sandra’s kitchen in Odesa has been a true lifeline. This week the team tells the story of Iryna, an IDP from Kramatorsk.
Iryna is an ordinary woman who has experienced the horror of war and was forced to leave her home. She came to [Odesa] alone, because she had no one left. All her money goes to rent an apartment and there isn’t enough for groceries. That is why every time Iryna comes for food, we give her a double or even triple portion, which allows her to have some food throughout the week.
She is able to eat exclusively thanks to the food that we prepare. Every time she picks up the package of meals she tells us: “You have no idea how important this is to me. I just don’t know what I would do without you. Thank you for helping me and for giving me a chance to have a normal life.”
These are simple but very important moments. We don’t just feed people – we help them survive and support them in difficult times. Iryna is one of those who survives solely thanks to this help. Every day, with every serving, we grow closer to those who need us. Thank you for being with us. We are nearby; you too are nearby. Together, we make this world just a little bit warmer.
Help in Occupied Territories
86 people received help in occupied territories.
Team Summaries
Alina’s Team – Dobra sprava (Good Deeds)
51 people evacuated over the course of 12 trips to Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad, Bilyts’ke, Kostyantynivka, Lyman, Druzhkivka, and Shakhove areas.
Inna’s Team – Krok z nadiyeyu (Step with Hope)
250 agricultural packages distributed in Izium, Podhora and Maksymivka in Kharkiv Region.
22.4 tons of aid distributed to 8,200 people.
6,600 people got bread.
Helped people in 34 locations, 11 of them in frontline high-risk areas.
Kherson Operations:
Disinfections and exterminations in 10 spaces, including 1 large humanitarian hub.
Held an activity day for children.
Completed 8 smaller humanitarian missions (from delivering fuel for red zone generators, to feeding dogs).
Kryvyi Rih team delivered aid to a homeless overnight shelter and to an orphanage.
Oleksandr D’s Volunteer Networks
Vladyslav K (Mykolaiv): delivered 35 tons of drinking water to Mykolaiv and 7 to Kherson.
Sandra S (Odesa): kitchen fed more than 400 people.
WeCare Centers (Lviv): delivered a total of 4 tons of baby food, groceries, and equipment for disabled people to Ternopil, Uman, Odesa, Kherson, and Zaporizhia.
Yuri S (Vinnytsia): made 2 deliveries of groceries to the Safe Space shelter. Delivered 50 kg of clothing to the village of Bruslyniv (Vinnytsia Region) for 2 large families, with a total of about 12 children.
Alla A (Kremenets’): through project Resilience, provided therapy sessions with a psychologist to 13 women with disabilities.
Vitaliy Z (Kharkiv): delivered 4 tons of humanitarian kits, "Victory" bread, clothes, medicine, and animal feed to Oleksiievo-Druzhkivka, near Kramatorsk. The settlement is virtually destroyed. Children have been mandatorily evacuated and only the elderly and disabled are left – mainly those who don’t have the means to survive in evacuation. Visited the New Day School in the Savyntsi community near Izium, which educates children from age 1 to 17. Brought toys, clothing, “Victory” bread, and sweets. Supplied about 15 uniforms to community service workers, also in Savyntsi. Distributed 350 loaves of “Victory” bread to people with low mobility in Yakovenko, Balakliia District. Most deliveries were made directly to people’s homes.
Oleksandr Z (Lutsk): provided therapeutic interventions and aid to internally displaced (IDP) children and families, children with disabilities, children from large families and military families, orphans, and amputees – held 2 art therapy sessions for a total of 83 children, IDPs and families of military personnel. Visited a museum with 54 children. Distributed bread and other food to 70 orphaned students from the Sumy and Kherson regions and to 380 other people living in IDP assistance centers. Provided glasses for 30 adults and children. Conducted 76 medical procedures to improve the health of 24 IDP children with disabilities from the Kherson Region. Helped 37 children with prophylactic health procedures, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, and gym classes. Through partners, assisted in the manufacture of prostheses and rehabilitation for 22 people.
Karina’s Team – My ryatuyemo Ukrayinu (We Save Ukraine)
94 people in the shelter.
Tetiana’s Team – Dopomoha poruch (Help Is Near)
Distributed 150 aid packages in Odnorobivka, Kharkiv Region.
Natasha’s Team – Volontersʹkyy tsentr Vyshnya (Cherry Volunteer Center)
2 trips are in preparation: Tetiana is going to Kherson Region as this letter is being compiled, while Natalia is heading back to Lyman over the weekend.
Timur’s Team – Komanda Teymura Alyeva (Timur Alyev’s Team)
Delivered aid packages to 223 elderly in Kharkiv.
Special home deliveries to 17 disabled elderly and 33 families with babies.
Traveled to the village of Cherkas'ki Tyshky, distributing 203 aid packages.
Pavel and Olena’s Teams – Dotyk sertsya (Touch of Heart) & Svitanok mriy (Dawn of Dreams)
Delivered 290 packages to Novohryhorivka and Luch, housing IDPs from Kherson Region.
Conducted a workshop for IDP women. The topic was Emotional Literacy: How to Listen and Be Heard.
Organized and event for children in Mykolaiv office.
Pomahaem Foundation (We Help Foundation)
24 tons of water delivered to Nikopol.
300 packages sponsored by Mercy Corps, delivered to Synel’nykove, with UTC helping cover logistics as usual.
Provided help to Dnipro IDP Shelter Children of the Future, housing 42 people (16 mothers and their 26 children).
Marina’s Team – Daruy dobrо Ukrayina (Give Good Ukraine)
150 packages were distributed to internally displaced people in the Zhovti Vody community.
Dina’s Team — Vilʹni lyudy, vilʹna krayina (Free People, Free Country)
300 packages distributed in Kremenchuk, Poltava, and Kanev.
1,370 meals served in Kharkiv soup kitchen.
300 packages distributed in Kharkiv.
Bohdan’s Team — Vse robymo sami (We Do Everything Ourselves)
42 families in Zhytomyr received food and hygiene kits.
At the Club for Children with Disabilities, children went to Ternopil for a festival.
Children had a fun party at House of Joy in Zhytomyr, where they played sports games, participated in classes on receiving psychosocial support, avoiding mine danger, providing first aid, and other topics. There was also a bubble show and a concert.
Alena’s Team – Diva (Virgo)
Distributed 536 loaves of bread in Odesa.
Liza and Katia continued to help 58 wounded in Odesa hospitals.
Anastasia’s Team – LoveUA
Finished delivering aid to Oleksiievo-Druzhkivka with the final 267 packages of food and 267 packages of hygiene products, reaching everyone in the town.
How to Help
Donate — The money goes directly to teams providing aid on the ground, who respond dynamically to the most urgent needs.
Fundraise — Organize fundraisers at your school, work, place of worship, with friends and family, etc.
Spread the word — Share our website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Bluesky Social with your friends, family, and colleagues.
Fill out this form if you’re interested in volunteering with us, and we’ll let you know when opportunities come up.
Download and print our flyer. Ask your local coffee shop if you can add it to the bulletin, or use it as part of your fundraiser.