Vasyl Kostyuk on Supporting the Ukrainian Military: How the Charitable Fund ‘Ukrainian Strength’ Works

Support for the Ukrainian military requires not only financial resources but also an understanding of the real needs of the front, operational decisions, and systematic work. This is the principle by which the charitable foundation ‘Ukrainian Force’, one of whose co-founders is the Ukrainian entrepreneur and philanthropist Vasyl Kostyuk, operates.

The foundation brought together entrepreneurs Yaroslav Maiboroda, Stepan Yarmus, and Vasyl Kostyuk around a common goal — providing the Ukrainian Defense Forces units with the necessary transport, equipment, and technical means. The founders shared the history of the organization’s creation, the peculiarities of its financing, the results of military assistance, and the motivation to continue charitable activities.

Vasyl Kostyuk: support for the army must be systematic and effective

For Vasyl Kostyuk, charity and assistance to the Ukrainian military became a continuation of the activities that the foundation’s founders had been engaged in since 2014. The decision to join forces with Yaroslav Maiboroda and Stepan Yarmus was driven by the opportunity to use shared resources, experience, and established military contacts more efficiently.

Before the creation of the joint organization, each of the founders had their own experience in volunteer work. Yaroslav Maiboroda was involved in providing the military with transport and equipment, Stepan Yarmus supported units and directly communicated with servicemen. After the start of the full-scale invasion, there was a need to unite these capabilities within a single structure.

In the spring of 2023, Vasyl Kostyuk joined the founders, becoming one of the key participants in the financial support of the fund’s activities.

“I decided to join the Fund because it was founded by my long-time business partner Yaroslav Maiboroda and Stepan Yarmus. I knew Yaroslav’s approach to work, and I also saw that Stepan has significant experience in direct interaction with the military. I understood that with joint efforts, we would be able to help the Ukrainian military much more effectively,” explained Vasyl Kostyuk.

According to him, an important factor was the trust between the partners, formed through many years of working together in business. It provided the opportunity to increase the funding volumes, knowing that the funds would be directed to the specific needs of the defenders.

Why the fund does not conduct public fund-raising

One of the features of the activities of the BF ‘Ukrainian Strength’ is the funding model. The organization exclusively uses the funds of its founders and does not attract donations from citizens through open public collections.

This approach allows for reducing the number of administrative procedures, independently determining priorities, and responding more promptly to the military’s requests.

According to Yaroslav Maiboroda, after combining efforts, the founders were able to shorten the path from receiving a request from a military unit to purchasing and delivering the necessary equipment.

Among the main areas of support for the Defense Forces:

• cars, pickups, SUVs, and all-wheel-drive minibuses;
• unmanned aerial vehicles;
• electronic warfare means;
• equipment for autonomous power supply;
• communication devices and other equipment for military units.

An important element of the work is also the analysis of the effectiveness of the transferred equipment. The founders take into account feedback from service members, check the reliability of the equipment, and focus on its practical use in the field.

Over 150 vehicles and hundreds of drones for the Defense Forces

During the fund’s operation, more than 150 different types of vehicles have been transferred to Ukrainian military personnel. These include pickups, SUVs, and all-wheel-drive minibuses.

Apart from vehicles, units received several hundred unmanned aerial vehicles, communication devices, laptops, batteries, generators, thermal imagers, optical sights, 3D printers, and other specialized equipment.

Yaroslav Mayboroda emphasizes that quantitative indicators are not the only criterion for evaluating the organization’s work. It is equally important that the purchased means meet the needs of the units and can be effectively used in real conditions.

Direct communication with service members is ensured, in particular, by Stepan Yarmus. He maintains contacts with the units of the Special Operations Forces, the Main Directorate of Intelligence, and other components of the Defense Forces, and personally visits the frontline.

Such a format of interaction helps to obtain information about current needs directly from the military and to determine procurement priorities.

Vasyl Kostyuk: helping the military is a contribution to Ukraine’s future

Speaking about the motivation to continue funding the charitable foundation, Vasyl Kostyuk emphasizes the practical importance of this work for Ukrainian defenders.

In his opinion, providing the military with the necessary equipment and technology is a way to support the people defending the country and help save their lives.

“The greatest motivation is understanding that this aid has a concrete meaning: it strengthens our defenders, helps save their lives, and brings Ukraine closer to victory,” stated the entrepreneur.

He also emphasized that working in the charity foundation involves continuously studying new technologies, particularly unmanned systems, and searching for solutions that can improve the supply for the military.

“We must build and protect our country, as this is where our future lies. Regardless of financial status or social standing, we will always be guests in other countries. Therefore, we have no other fallback place besides our own state,” stressed Vasyl Kostyuk.

According to the philanthropist, the founders plan to continue funding the ‘Ukrainian Power’ and expanding support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Charity as a part of social activity

The activities of the charity fund ‘Ukrainian Force’ are one of the directions of Vasyl Kostyuk’s charitable work. The Ukrainian entrepreneur also supports the development of children’s and youth karate, helps athletes participate in international competitions, and engages in other initiatives aimed at supporting Ukraine.

For the founders of ‘Ukrainian Force’, the main principle remains the targeted assistance, responsible use of financial resources, and focus on the real needs of the military.

For reference. Charitable Fund ‘Ukrainian Force’ founded in 2023 by Stepan Yarmus, Yaroslav Maiboroda, and Vasyl Kostyuk. The director of the fund is Ivan Ditkun. The organization specializes in providing the Ukrainian Defense Forces units with transport, unmanned systems, communication means, and other necessary equipment. The fund’s partners are the companies ‘YaroSad’ and Solyara.