Over a Million Euros for Kyiv: International Support Helps the City Survive the “Cold Winter” of War

This was shared by Father Lyubomyr Yavorskyy, Patriarchal Econome of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church and Director of the Patriarchal Foundation “Mudra Sprava,” during an interview with Halyna Babiy on the program “A Good Conversation,” focused on the Church’s wartime ministry.

Generators Instead of Darkness

Following one of the most severe waves of attacks on Ukraine’s power grid, which plunged the country into a widespread blackout amid intense frosts, the Head of the UGCC appealed to international partners for assistance with generators. Crucially, this request was not intended for church structures, but for ordinary citizens left completely without heat and electricity.

Polish Catholics answered the call immediately. In particular, Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś initiated a fundraising campaign across Poland. Efforts in Warsaw and Kraków successfully accumulated over one million euros, which was promptly directed to meet the critical needs of Kyiv and its surrounding region.

The provided generators are being distributed not only to community resilience centers but also to schools and kindergartens. This crucial intervention allows the educational process to continue uninterrupted during power outages, maintains warmth inside the buildings, and prevents heating systems from freezing and bursting.

The Aid That Arrives First

According to Father Lyubomyr Yavorskyy, in many areas of the capital—such as Troieshchyna, Obolon, and Holosiivskyi—church volunteers were frequently the very first to arrive with emergency assistance. This outreach includes not only technical support but also the regular distribution of hot meals.

At the same time, he emphasizes that this is not the initiative of a single entity, but a manifestation of global solidarity. UGCC communities from Australia, Germany, the United States, Brazil, and other countries have all joined in supporting Kyiv. Furthermore, Ukrainian parishes from safer regions are actively collecting funds to help feed and warm the residents of the capital.

Diminishing Resources, Growing Needs

Despite this extensive international backing, the resources available to charitable organizations are gradually depleting as the war enters its fifth year, even as the needs continue to escalate. Requests for help pour in continuously from district administrations, educational institutions, and families of internally displaced persons.

The elderly and children remain the most vulnerable populations. For many older individuals who have lost their homes and are forced to live in modular towns, even the most basic aid becomes a matter of absolute survival.

The foundation emphasizes that the main objective today is not merely crisis response, but preserving society’s capacity for unity and future reconstruction. Ultimately, as Father Lyubomyr Yavorskyy observed, “If you want to save yourself, help someone else.”

Press Service of the Patriarchal Foundation “Mudra Sprava”