October 2024, Mitsubishi L200 Otto, Hyundai H1 Tomas
Each journey has several key points that form the backbone of support. These are usually significant financial items or difficult-to-procure goods that hold high value for recipients or are urgently needed at the moment. This journey had several such points. The first two items were two donated vehicles, thanks to corporate donors in České Budějovice: an off-road pickup L200 named Otto and a van with an integrated cooling unit named Tomáš.
Naming vehicles helps with quick orientation. The vehicles were operational and maintained; the L200 underwent servicing just before the donation. Thanks to Eva and Adam for facilitating and assisting with the transportation of the vehicles.
We sprayed the L200 in khaki color—thanks, Martin—and took it to Zakarpattia for a clutch replacement (we couldn't find volunteer service in the Czech Republic). In Zakarpattia, the company of Ivan and Vasyl helped us significantly; we only paid for the materials—thank you!
We transported the Hyundai to the Železný Brod area, where the guys replaced the driveshaft. From a very successful fundraiser for generators on Donio, we delivered 10 out of 16 purchased generators to the recipients. Thanks to all donors and especially to the largest donor, LASAK.
Thanks to Kateřina, Eva, Adam, Martin, JirkaP, and everyone else involved in making trench candles—collecting wax, producing, or transporting them.
From Prague, we transported 10 boxes (500 pcs) of trench candles from our production by taxi—thanks, Ivan. Other items we transported from Prague included small medical supplies, a sleeping mat, and items received from donors that are currently useful in hospitals or on the front lines.
My Fifth Journey
This was my fifth journey, and each begins with doubts and concerns about what lies ahead. I always find it hard to leave my family. For me, it's work with a clear goal. If I don't go personally, I can't deliver and convey information about the outcome, and even when I'm there, I don't do it well enough and have room for improvement. Without information, donors and volunteers won't be accurately informed about our work, and willingness to support and participate will decrease. If you don't work or your work isn't visible, there's no support; you can't step out of the circle and expect it to continue. Ideally, donors and volunteers should be present during handovers to verify that what they do makes sense and that 2,500 km away, people in critical life conditions truly need help.
The journey with the Hyundai started from Prague at 8:00 PM, through Ostrava at 11:45 PM, where I woke up Ivan to load 10 generators so I could continue. Thanks, Ivan, for your help, and Jura for picking them up from the seller—we saved a bit again. I headed to the Slovakia–UA border, Sobrance, at 6:30 AM. We met Vasyl in front of a shop to transfer the car to Zakarpattia.
We arrived for lunch and immediately visited Andrej at the museum and Michal. Both are integral parts of SOHTASH, where we unloaded the generators, and Michal took the car for welding the chassis support.
In the afternoon, Vasyl, Denis, and I got all 10 generators operational, filled them with oil and gasoline, and tested each for about 20 minutes. Everything transported to the front must be tested and functional.
The risk isn't just in bringing unnecessary materials but mainly in the absence or malfunctioning of equipment, which can harm soldiers if they can't rely on it. For example, vehicles can be completely rusty but must run when needed. A loss of function at the wrong time can mean loss of life.
In the evening, we loaded all three vehicles: 14 boxes of trench candles, 10 generators, 2 sets of tires (one new set for mud for the L200 and one used set), and 265 liters of diesel fuel for the journey—thanks, Michal and Alexander. We loaded 6 trench stoves; everything we had to and could load was now in the vehicles. During the journey through Zakarpattia and central Ukraine, more materials will be added.
First Part of the Journey
In the evening, Vasyl and I completed the administrative tasks for the handover to ensure everything was in order for the journey. We clarified the time difference between our time and Kyiv time—I've written about how Zakarpattia feels aligned with our time zone; hence, wall clocks must be mechanical and not adjusted to Kyiv time.
Leaving Zakarpattia is another emotional test; families are temporarily separated to fulfill our mission. We equipped our vehicles with SOHTASH magnetic signs to connect all three vehicles into one convoy; shared affiliation facilitates passage at checkpoints. Flags on dashboards, a remnant from soldiers' gifts in the first year and months of open aggression in 2022, now have broader significance. For me, they are a reminder of the brave people in Ukraine fighting for their homeland, whom we are helping.
In the morning, we went to Andrej's place, where we loaded shovels, baked goods for soldiers from a volunteer, fruits, and 5 camouflage nets made by volunteers at the museum.
Next stop: we visited a school where drawings and messages from children were prepared.
Driver lineup from Zakarpattia: Andrej, Vasyl, Denis, and me.
The actual departure, after all arrangements, was around 9 AM. We reached Vinnytsia in central Ukraine by evening. We picked up two large stoves from donors, Táňa and Dima, who would take over driving. Dima has a son in the hospital in Dnipro; they will visit him and take his belongings and car. We agreed that I would accompany them to the hospital. We make minimal stops, refueling vehicles from canisters as long as our supplies last.
Táňa took over driving from me, and Dima from Vasyl. I have no prejudices about women driving, but Táňa impressed me with her excellent driving skills. Although I didn't fall asleep, it wasn't because of her. Vasyl and I split up; we went to Dnipro, and Vasyl went for the first handover—7 generators, 2 camouflage nets, knitted socks, and sweets from Irshava to the 63rd Brigade unit towards Robotyne.
We arrived in Dnipro before 5 AM and had to wait until it was possible to visit his son. After an hour of rest, Táňa, Dima, and I visited the hospital. His son, in a wheelchair but in good spirits from the family visit, greeted us. I wished him a speedy recovery and left them alone, heading out to explore. The hospital is large, lacking funds for modernization. Apart from the intensive care unit, the corridors are dark; in Druzhkivka, it was even more challenging—we'll see how it is in Kharkiv tonight.
In previous journeys, I've written about how driving in Ukraine is unique—overtaking and speed wherever possible, considering monitored sections. On narrower roads, an unwritten rule applies: driving with half or the entire vehicle off the road, creating three lanes where there are two. It works quite well.
Although sunrise is challenging due to fatigue, arriving in the east early in the morning is full of interesting sights—architecture, natural beauty, and war horrors combined. It's raw, present, and you have to accept it all. This is the time before handovers, usually quiet, as everyone battles fatigue and prepares for the most demanding part of the journey.
On the way from Dnipro, we stopped at our favorite canteen and had borscht. We helped with a heavy pot of soup. The canteen is staffed entirely by women; check the news archives if you're interested in how dining facilities near the front operate. The canteen has changed a bit—more flags, unit patches, and gifts from soldiers. It's great that such a place exists; I think it provides energy not just through food.
Second to Seventh Aid Handovers
We pass through the last checkpoint—the first and last document check with documentation. We stop and distribute ballistic protection; we don't have enough for everyone (only two for five people), but we use what we have.
The second handover was near Dnipro—to the "Offort" intervention unit. We delivered two stoves from Vinnytsia, sweets from Irshava, and received artifacts for the museum.
We continued to Sloviansk for the third handover at the agreed location to the 71st Jäger Brigade. We handed over 4 stoves, 10 boxes of candles, three generators, two camouflage nets, and fruit. The guys thanked us by writing on flags, and we said our goodbyes.
The fourth handover was to Unit 3018 near Dobropillia, where we delivered the L200 pickup, off-road tires, shovels, and pickaxes. Before the handover, we parted ways with Táňa and Dima, who went with the Hyundai H1 to deal with their son’s matters. The soldiers deeply appreciated the vehicle and sent thanks to the corporate donor, writing their message on a Ukrainian flag, which we were happy to pass along.
We proceeded to Kramatorsk for the fifth handover, to the "Tsunami" intervention unit, where we delivered materials from Zakarpattia meant for defenders from that region.
Driving through Izium again—the second time for me—I was struck once more by the destroyed bridge, a symbol of the helplessness felt during civilian evacuations over its ruins. The town remains devastated by war. Exiting the city, we passed a residential building split in half by a missile strike.
We could no longer pass through Pokrovsk, as it's no longer under control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and is too dangerous. We headed to catch up with Dima and Táňa and the Hyundai H1. Two more stops awaited us before reaching Kharkiv. The vehicles were slowly emptying, but not yet fully unloaded. On a fast road, we were overtaken by an IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle)—we tried in vain to keep pace.
The sixth handover was just outside Kharkiv, to the 14th Brigade headed towards Kupiansk. We delivered trench candles, a set of tires, two camouflage nets, and two trench stoves.
We were all extremely tired by this point, and our focus was waning. During the handover, I decided to take a short break and stepped off the road into a field for privacy—fortunately, the guys stopped me just in time and warned that I was heading into a marked minefield. I quickly changed my mind. Mistakes here can be fatal—danger is ever-present, and there’s no room for error.
The final, seventh handover was the delivery of the Hyundai H1 van to the military hospital in Kharkiv, specifically to Military Unit 1563. We arrived after dark. I thought photos wouldn’t be possible, but a spotlight had been prepared.
So we managed to take a few photos of the physical handover, and more inside the facility. The hospital had no lighting. We gathered in the director’s office, where a ballistic vest lay beside the desk and a helmet sat atop the cupboard—a clear sign that here, saving lives and staying protected go hand-in-hand. The director was very kind, and we informed him about the corporate donor who provided the vehicle. When we suggested writing a thank-you note on a flag, he immediately embraced the idea and, with Andrej, set to work.
Even in these situations, we experience lighthearted moments. When it came time to take a photo with the thank-you flag, the major had given me their unit’s shoulder patch. Since he was in civilian clothes and we needed to identify him in the photo, I pinned the gifted patch to his chest. We shared a laugh, and he quickly changed into his uniform for the picture—but the humanity and sense of humor remained.
At the handover, the head of the new surgical department (soon to open) met with us, showed us the premises and basic equipment, and asked for surgical supplies. We requested an updated list and will try to help.
The Journey Back
The return trip to Zakarpattia was extremely demanding—we were all completely exhausted, scraping for the last remnants of energy, and it was already nighttime. We stopped in central Ukraine at some relatives’, received lunch and warm hugs, then continued on toward Zakarpattia.
Throughout the journey from central Ukraine to the east and back, our phones buzzed constantly with emergency alerts, minute by minute, hour by hour. Outside, sirens blared—similar to the test alarms we know in the Czech Republic, except here, it’s real. People no longer seek shelter; they’ve learned to live with it, but that doesn’t mean the danger has lessened. There is a war here, and it continues to claim lives. For us, it’s an alarm bell: we must work harder so that, here too, the sirens fall silent and people can live normal lives again.
Mileage Tally:
The Vito, L200, and H1 vans covered 3 × 950 km = 2,850 km from the Czech Republic to Zakarpattia. From Zakarpattia to central Ukraine and the eastern cities—Kramatorsk, Sloviansk, Izium, Kharkiv—and back to Zakarpattia:
-
Vito: 3,100 km
-
L200: 1,750 km
-
H1: 2,060 km
Total: 9,760 km on a single journey.
We arrived back in Zakarpattia in the evening and were invited to Andrej’s for dinner. I’m used to Czech cuisine and not much of a culinary adventurer, but everything in Ukraine still feels new to me. We got home late that night—a shower after several days on the road was a real reward.
The next morning, we cleaned out the vehicle and loaded another 14 boxes (700 pcs) of trench candles to be shipped via Nova Poshta to the front lines. We’ve now exceeded the monthly weight limit that we, as a non-profit, are allowed to ship for free.
We headed to the bus station—I've described this journey before. This time it was a record: 22 hours total, 8.5 hours of that waiting at the border. Not exactly a pleasant experience.
Final Thoughts
I have mixed emotions—pride in a job well done, new friends, new tasks, new opportunities for improvement—but also sorrow, because this is all still happening during a war. Sadness over lives needlessly lost, over a land ravaged by violence. Ukraine is a rich country, but the greatest treasure isn’t its minerals or agricultural output—it’s its civil society that defends its freedoms.
In the end, that’s what the aggressor fears most. If such a spirit took hold in Russia, the dictatorship would be over—people would flood the streets and topple the monster in the Kremlin. Democracy and freedom are better for human life, worse only for the dictator and his paid lackeys.
We work in Ukraine with people who are the backbone and engine of these civic values. I’m learning, striving to think critically, to communicate our shared themes, and together we look for ways and solutions. It doesn’t mean everyone thinks alike—on the contrary, there’s a rich diversity of opinions. What unites them is that they recognize evil, reject it, and are prepared to stand against it shoulder to shoulder.
I believe Russia has bitten off more than it can chew. They have essentially destroyed their own civil society, but in Ukraine, it remains strong. We in the West must help so this ends as soon as possible and with as few lives lost as possible—they will take care of the rest.
Thank you for reading my journey to the end.
Now I kindly ask: please take a look below at our new fundraising campaigns, and if you can, contribute—or browse the list of needed items on our website. Above all, stay active. Don’t just sit with folded hands. If you want a better world than the one looming from the east, we must be ready to sacrifice something for it.
Thank you.
Honza Riedl
Together to victory!
We endure because we must, because we want a better world for our children.
СЛАВА УКРАЇНІ! ГЕРОЯМ СЛАВА!
Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes!
