Despite ongoing fierce fighting along the front lines, the defense of Ukraine relies heavily on the dedication of volunteers providing critical support to both troops and civilians.This report focuses on the perilous conditions faced by those working in the southern Kherson region, where constant Russian shelling and drone surveillance pose a daily threat. Through the story of Julija Zeid,a volunteer with Czech Volunteer Hub,we examine the vital aid being delivered – from medical supplies to dialog equipment – and the innovative measures,like anti-drone netting,being implemented to protect those on the ground.
The defense of Ukraine extends far beyond the front lines, encompassing the vital work of volunteers providing essential support to troops battling Russian forces. As fighting intensifies, particularly in the south around the city of Kherson, these individuals are risking their lives to deliver supplies and bolster the Ukrainian military.
Julija Zeid, a volunteer, regularly travels to Kherson, a city under constant Russian shelling from across the Dnipro River, to deliver aid to soldiers. The journey is fraught with danger, as Russian drones monitor the roads.
“They often target supply convoys,” Zeid explained. “But the situation has improved since we started building anti-drone netting along the roads.”
Zeid works with Czech Volunteer Hub, a Czech organization coordinating aid shipments to Ukraine. Her story is also one of personal connection to conflict, stemming from her family’s roots in another war-torn nation.
“What are the conditions like for the defenders near the Dnipro River in the Kherson region?” she was asked.
Russian drones strike Kherson daily. Sometimes, warning sirens sound, but often they do not. Traveling to Kherson requires constant vigilance, for everyone. Soldiers on the front lines, those I speak with frequently, complain about a shortage of ammunition. They are largely sheltering in damaged and abandoned buildings, and in trenches along the river. Unfortunately, the Russian-occupied opposite bank offers a superior vantage point for shelling and observation. Our forces must carefully conceal themselves and move frequently to avoid Russian fire.
“Are anti-drone nets now in place on the streets of Kherson?”
Not everywhere, but they have appeared in many locations over the past three months, and work continues. The road from Mykolaiv, the only connection between Kherson and the outside world, is now largely covered in netting, in addition to major intersections.
Where the nets are installed, it’s much safer. People don’t hesitate about whether or not to travel, or which route to take. You can see drones caught in the netting along the road. The enemy often targeted vehicles carrying aid during their attacks.
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Remarkably, train service to Kherson continues despite the ongoing hostilities…
“I agree, it’s really strange, and I don’t actually know the answer to why. If an attack begins, the train stops, and sometimes you wait for five or six hours. The train connection from Kherson to Lviv normally takes seventeen hours.” (In 2023, Russians struck the Kherson railway station with missiles, leaving it closed for several months – ed. note.)
“What kind of aid do you deliver to the soldiers?”
“Almost everything except weapons. For example, generators, batteries, laptops, Starlink routers, medical supplies such as tourniquets to stop bleeding, and bandages. And also vehicles.”
Photo: Julija Zeid Archive, Seznam Zprávy
Julija Zeid.
“Is there a day since the start of the war that you’ll never forget?”
“It’s hard to pick just one. I remember taking my mother to Mykolaiv to spend a few days with me. And when she arrived, the worst Russian attack on the city during the entire war began. Ballistic missiles, hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, waves of drones. We had to stay in a shelter all night. In Yemen, unlike Ukraine, there are no warning sirens to allow you to take cover in time. One side in Yemen is supported by Iran, the other by Saudi Arabia. Frequent power and water outages, a lack of gasoline.”
“We got on an evacuation plane with my mother, which was headed to Belarus, and returned to Ukraine. My father stayed in Yemen; it’s easier for him there. Unfortunately, in 2014, war also began in Ukraine.”
“Both countries with which you have roots are actually at war…”
“Unfortunately, it’s sad. But after all these years living here, I feel more Ukrainian than Yemeni.”
Photo: René Matouš, Seznam Zprávy
Situation in eastern Ukraine.
