Cork man's mission to deliver supplies to Ukraine

Last month, I took part in a drive to Kyiv to deliver a set of seven ‘end-of-life vehicles’ for use by the Ukrainian emergency services in the midst of their ongoing war with Russia.

A team of 11 of us went out and returned safely - the oldest among us was 79 and the youngest was 23.

I celebrated my 61st birthday while in Ukraine. I embarked on the trip for several reasons, one of them being that I’m concerned for my long-term health and that if I waited another few years, I might not have the physical capacity to do proper travelling.

I was a soldier during my early to mid-20s (1985-1990) and felt that it was now for definite or maybe never.

I also wanted to see for myself what conditions were like for the Ukrainian people.

We left from Dublin Port on Monday morning, June 16, and returned via Chisinau Airport in Moldova to Dublin.

The vehicles we brought were loaded with medical and first-aid supplies. 

Someone from Ardee RFC in Co. Louth presented sets of Ardee and Leinster gear for morale and rehabilitation purposes.

Donations of privately owned ‘old bangers’, or jalopies, of vans, jeeps and pick-ups, are preferred because they will have a fairly short shelf-life.

This also includes decommissioned public service vehicles such as ambulances, fire engines, etc.

The vehicles are used in frontline areas of the war to evacuate casualties to triage stations and stabilisation points, with onward transport to hospitals by ambulance.

Irish ambulances are appreciated because treatment can start immediately, given the room available inside them.

The group would particularly welcome help from working or retired mechanics for future trips, in preparing the vehicles, which are also taxed, insured and pass their Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Test (CVRT), to enable them to transit across Europe legally.

Donated vehicles must be capable of passing the CVRT or of being renovated to do so before we can drive them through Europe, or at the very least the commercial vehicle 12-week test.

All of the ones we brought already were tested.

On last month’s run - the sixth the group have done - five of the vehicles had their full CVRT and two the 12-week test.

Trucks would also be on our shopping or wish list as it would be possible to put a vehicle into one along with aid.

The funniest and most profound experience on the tour was on the Ukrainian side of the border post, watching Tipperary and Kilkenny guys having a friendly hurling puck-around along with a Dub, while waiting for the last two vehicles (Mercedes and Scania trucks) to come through processing.

One digit or letter in the chassis numbers was smudged on both sets of paperwork, so we were trying to scrounge an A4 scanner as well for the Ukrainian end. Polish public servants can be just as finicky as Irish public servants when it comes to paperwork.

There will be more trips - hopefully, the seventh one by the group will take place in late September or early October.

Volunteers are welcome to come along as drivers if they wish.

Our normal accommodation is in the centre of Kyiv, close to Maiden Square, the presidential residence and other government buildings so it’s under the protection of the ‘Iron Dome’ air-defence systems by default.

Please note that certain donations of materials or vehicles may be embargoed from publicity in the general or social media.

Ukraine is under martial law and people who help us there welcome most publicity, but geolocation data on phones ought to be disabled, and always ask before taking any photographs.

Each of us who took part in the run got a certificate signed by the Acting Commander of the Ukraine armed forces.

Drivers pay their own way, e.g. diesel, tolls, ferries, food and accommodation.

Regarding Ireland’s wider role in helping Ukraine, I was deeply impressed by the ‘Operation Carousel’ conducted by the Irish Defence Forces under the leadership of Commandant Niall Buckley last June.

Due to Ireland’s policy of neutrality, the convoy of more than 30 vehicles was unable to proceed all the way to Kyiv so the vehicles were left in a secure holding facility near the south-eastern Polish city of Rzeszow for collection by the Ukrainian Army.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is rightly wary of creating diplomatic incidents and Irish military personnel could easily be needed at home in their professional capacity.

For further information about the trip I went on to Ukraine, please contact: Jim Harding, Harding’s Stoneyard, Gowran Co Kilkenny, R95WR15.

Jim set up the Kilkenny to Ukraine voluntary group Facebook page, @kilkennyukraine.com and email: ireland2ukraine@gmail.com. WhatsApp 0862500404. Road manager for the ‘tour’ was Joe Mason on 087 9222786.