Updates

Things are grim. Not only are the Ukrainian civilians suffering, but the front lines are inundating us with requests. Last week's raffle helped (thank you!), but it hurts every time we have to deny help to a unit. One of your supported units lost men and materiel when one of their positions was hit with a vicious strike; we obviously can't share details, but it wasn't good.

On a positive note, we do have some updates to share with you.

The Omega group sends their thanks for their supplies and the 91st Anti tank Battalion appreciates their new generator.

The 82nd was ecstatic with their new vehicle and IFAKs!

$2 TACO Tuesday - and this one is actually from us and intended for release!

If you have been with us for a while, you know that I have a good friend in Kharkiv with several family members in the AFU. That friend recently sent me a box of stuff for my birthday, but the majority of the items were actually intended for the raffle. 🤣

A large, beautiful calendar joins two boxes of Ukrainian sweets as the bulky portion of the $2 pack, while two sets of Kharkiv socks (one small, one large each) will keep your feet fully fashionable for the foreseeable future. The best part, though, is a triple pack of patches; one symbolizing the Donetsk Oblast and two Kharkiv military units, the 13th Khartiia Brigade and the 225th Assault Regiment.

$5 "Idi na khui" pack

This is a monster pack! The star of the show is obviously the sculpture "Idi na khui" - An Artwork by Arcaist. In his own words:

This quite vulgar phrase is known very well, since a border guards curse towards a russian Warship threatening to bombard Snake Island.

This sculpture was cast out of molten down bullet casings, which Arcaist received from several war theaters, including the Siege of Bachmut, from the Krynky Beachhead, from a training shooting range near Lviv etc.

Arcaist named that art project "Four brothers", since he created four pieces out of the casings he was given.
Check the Making-of Video here!

Two were given to "Ukraine Aid Ops", while two remained with Ukraine Front Line.

When Arcaist showed his work to an Ukrainian soldier, which was recovering from surgery in Germany at that time, he received the following lines a few days later, along with the request to add this to this item:

"You called us brothers once.
But the very next day, you came to our land to pillage, rape and kill.
But now matter how often you bomb our cities or burn our fields:
We will not break, nor retreat a single step.
We don’t fear you!
We stand strong against the storm that you unleashed.
And when its over, Ukraine will raise from the ashes of war.
Strong and beautiful will we claim our place in the world, while your lands will forever be known as the cradle of evil.

russia, go fuck yourself!"

Additionally, we are adding a GUR patch, a stained glass ornament and a box of Ukrainian chocolate.

In closing:

Last week's devastating strike on Ternopil was terrible. The murders show, again, russia's disdain for life and civility; this is the reason we support the Ukrainian defenders and how much we appreciate you all for doing the same.

We didn't want to use last week's tragedy to solicit donations, but we wanted to scream russia's perfidy to the world. It reminds me very much of "The Apple Blossom" by Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky. In his short story, a father writes about watching his daughter die and his struggle between his grief and his inclination to document the event to use in his writing.

This struggle perfectly fits us; we feel sadness and despair for the violence and death, but we also recognize that addressing and publicizing that same tragedy could generate positive effects that could help other people. It is a very conflicting situation and one that we hope you understand.

Enough depressing thoughts! We hope the Americans among you enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday and wish our non-American friends the same feelings of thankfulness and family. Thank you all, as always, for everything you do.

-Scott

Don't forget:

UFL has amazing art here if you haven't seen it yet!

And please note that although the event description mentions a livestream, there will be none. And while we do deeply appreciate those of you who choose to donate as well as buying raffle tickets, we want to make it clear that donations are not required to enter the raffle.

UFL Thanksgiving raffle 25 November

A month of thanks and giving to the defenders