187 Bulletproof Vests

At the start of the war, we purchased a couple of bulletproof vests for Ukrainian civil defenders and volunteers. Within days, we learned that one of the beneficiaries was saved by a vest we had sourced. This inspired us to launch a full crowdfunding campaign to get even more protective gear to those who needed it.

War is life-threatening for everyone — soldiers, volunteers, and journalists all run the risk of being shot at, especially those at the frontline. With the frontline passing through densely inhabited urban areas, a massive number of people were at risk. There was a serious shortage of protective gear — good quality bulletproof vests were extremely hard to find, not just in Ukraine but across Europe, where they were sold out or unavailable. Volunteer groups desperately searched for equipment but could often only find poor quality imitations that didn't offer proper protection against Russian ammunition.

Support Ukraine Now leveraged its network to find reliable suppliers willing to provide high-quality material at discounted prices. With incredible community support, we raised €54,858 — enough to buy 187 bulletproof vests. The vests we sourced were Level 4, VPAM 10 quality — tested and certified against the ammunition types and calibers used in this war.

We sent the gear to specific units of the Ukrainian Territorial Defence and volunteer groups operating in the most dangerous areas. It was critical that we knew all beneficiaries personally or through friends and relatives, ensuring the gear would be used where needed most. Our team controlled every step of the process — members personally purchased the items, shipped them to the Ukrainian border, brought them into the country, and drove them to the cities where they were needed most.

Every single bulletproof vest can save a life. This campaign showed the power of collective action — individual contributions from people around the world came together to directly protect those defending Ukraine on the front lines.