Feb. 24, 2024, marks the second anniversary of the internationally condemned Russian Invasion of Ukraine. Since then, there have been more than 10,000 Ukrainian civilians killed, and around 20,000 injured, according to the United Nations. Almost two years into the intense fighting and after countless Russian atrocities, even Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says that “no one knows” when the war will end, and many geopolitical commentators have observed that the conflict has now reached a stalemate.
This present impasse benefits the Russian Federation, as its population is almost four times larger than Ukraine’s, and its Gross Domestic Product is around 10 times larger than before the war. While many Western nations condemned Russia’s invasion and imposed harsh economic sanctions on it, these sanctions have failed to cripple the Russian economy. Several companies have been slow to divest from the Russian market, and nations whose interests are aligned against the West have ignored the sanctions and continued trade with Russia, with some even aiding it militarily. Moscow has now transitioned into a wartime economy, having grown more than 5% in the third quarter of 2023.
Amid the dire situation in Ukraine, the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council (UACC) is appealing to the US automotive sector for additional vehicle-related support for Ukraine. According to UACC, there is a huge and ongoing need for various non-combat vehicles for various roles that will be of huge benefit to the Ukrainian cause. These include vehicles that can be converted into evacuation and service vehicles for troops and civilians such as pickup trucks and SUVs.
Various government entities have provided vehicular support for Ukraine, such as the City of London’s ongoing call for donations and the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs donating two armored medical vehicles. Many large automakers are headquartered in the US and it is also the second-largest car manufacturer in the world, which is why UACC believes that Americans can be a major source of vehicle-related support. UACC works with UkrDukh, a Ukraine-based organization, in distributing vehicles and other humanitarian aid to troops.
In May 2022, UACC sponsored NASCAR racer Josh Bilicki, whose Spire Motorsports No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 sported the Ukrainian flag’s blue and yellow colors, the UACC’s logo on its front hood, and the traditional salute Slava Ukraini – Glory to Ukraine. This sponsorship was in support of ongoing humanitarian efforts as well as UACC’s project to provide helmets and body armor for Ukrainian civilian defense units.
Since 2022, UACC has raised more than $9.2 million in aid for the Ukrainian cause, with more than $1 million worth of vehicles. The rest of the aid went to medical equipment, personal protection gear, food, and various other expenses. It also helped raise $6.5 million for the Come Back Alive Foundation, through in-kind donations.
Established in the 1960s, well before Ukrainian independence, UACC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works with both national and international partners in developing sustainable and enduring Ukrainian-American communities all over the US. It operates in four areas, promoting Ukrainian culture in the US, supporting Ukrainian-owned businesses, raising humanitarian aid, and advancing Ukraine’s agenda in the US political sphere.