May 2022 Report

We accelerated our fundraising and purchasing activities before the start of the full-scale invasion by Russia into Ukraine on February 24th. We knew that, once the fighting started, the need for field medicine supplies would far exceed anything we've seen in Ukraine before, and that the very large numbers of new Territorial Defense volunteers would not be sufficiently supplied. Our donors were extremely generous, with both individuals and organizations donating funds at the scale unprecedented in Leleka's history, starting immediately as the news of the invasion spread.

We were fortunate to have the purchasing know-how and connections to suppliers from our almost eight years of experience, so we were able to spend the money quite quickly and buy the necessary supplies in the US and Europe. Logistics was more of a challenge in February and March, as all flights into Ukraine were cancelled and the shipping methods we had been used to stopped working. In the first few weeks we experimented a lot and received tons of help. Eventually we found a reliable and quick shipping partner, whom we have used since.

Most critically, our team in Ukraine spun up a whole new operation, warehousing IFAK components, assembling the kits and backpacks, and distributing them to the front lines. Along with that, we built a simple but efficient ordering system for the field medics to use.

By the end of May, our distribution system was well established end-to-end. We were able to deliver over $3.3 million's worth of medical supplies to the front lines: over 16,000 IFAKs, over 575 backpacks, plus some hospital equipment. We are eternally grateful to the countless donors, partners, and friends, who have helped us deliver these life-saving supplies.