Russia-Ukraine war: Kiwi Ukrainians fill shipping container with supplies to send to frontline

Loaded boxes with messages of support for Ukraine. Photo: supplied.

Ukrainian New Zealanders are on a mission to fill a 40-foot container before July with medicine, clothing, blankets, toys and other goods to send to their war-torn country.

Members of the Ukrainian Association of New Zealand are collecting donations from across the country.

The container is currently about 60-70 per cent full, but shipping a 40ft container isn’t cheap.

The organisers are raising $20,000 to ship it to Europe through various events nationwide and a Givealittle page.

Hamilton-based Ukrainian and association chairperson Yuri Gladun said the majority of the donated items would be clothing.

The association, alongside another organisation called the Ukrainian Association of New Zealand - Southern Regions, sent a 20ft container in October last year.

Gladun said the most important item the first time was medicine.

New Zealand supplies arrive in Ukraine. Photo / Supplied

“At the start of the year, Ukrainians based in the South Island approached various medical organisations to ask for donations,” he said.

“We sent painkillers and the blood-clotting medicine hemostatic.”

Then, alongside the medicine, members started to fill the container with donated items such as clothing, soft toys, sleeping bags and messages of hope.

Christchurch knitwear company Weft donated 18 merino sweaters, 60 pairs of merino socks and 1000 sets of merino underwear for soldiers and refugees during winter.

“We even ended up buying some products ourselves,” Gladun said. “We didn’t want the container to look empty.”

The Ukrainian Association of New Zealand - Northern Regions’ traditional role is that of a cultural organisation to connect Ukrainian communities and hold cultural and culinary events.

However, that all changed on March 24 last year.

The goods in the two associations’ first container were distributed in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, nearly 70 kilometres from the Russian border and close to the war’s frontline.

The filled containers are shipped to Poland, where charity organisations unpack the goods and load them onto trucks for delivery across Ukraine.

When the goods arrive in Ukraine, an organisation called Dobrovoz distributes them among families in need, as well as soldiers.

Auckland-based Ukrainian Edward Patkevych said collecting and storing items to fill the container was a difficult process.

The container is being held for free by electrical components company Regal Rexnord in its West Auckland yard.

Patkevych said organisers had to box, stack and wrap every item donated.

Donated and packaged goods ready to be loaded. Photo / Supplied

“We even have to put certain boxes on pallets to make sure they don’t get thrown around and damaged during shipping.

“It’s a fulltime job on top of my other fulltime job.”

Gladun said people could donate either specific items such as clothing and soft toys, or money.

“If you donate a specific item, it will go into the container. When you donate money, it will go for the container.

“You may not think a small donation helps, but everything donated is significant.”

To donate money or goods to the fundraiser, visit the Ukrainian Association of New Zealand’s Facebook page.