Since the beginning of 2015, staff and members of Ukrainian Credit Union Limited have been raising money for the “UCU Helps Ukraine” fund. This fund provides financial assistance to soldiers who were seriously wounded during the war in Eastern Ukraine.
As of the beginning of December 2015, the fund has raised more than $57,000 and has distributed more than $54,000 to the wounded soldiers. In this series of articles, we will present the soldiers, who we have already helped.
Oleksiy Kondratenko is an orphan who led a successful life as a welder in Chervonyj Lan, Zhytomyr. Just like many young Ukrainians, found his dreams and way of life destroyed by the war.
He was mobilized to the ATO as an intelligence officer on August 23rd 2014, under the 30th Mechanized Division of Novohrad Volynskyj.
On November 4th and 5th 2014, a mobilized group of LNR terrorists tried to force their way to Siverskyj Donets near Shchastia, and even under heavy mortar fire and artillery strikes, the Ukrainian soldiers managed to keep the enemies at bay.
On February 6th 2014, soldiers of the 30th Division accompanied a convoy carrying people and materials for the installation of a new checkpoint near Shchastia.
The convoy was attacked, and Oleksiy was hit by a large piece of shrapnel that tore apart much of his left side, piercing his belly and damaging many of his internal organs. Smaller bits lodged themselves in his head, and he has undergone several surgeries to remove it.
To stop the bleeding, his arm and leg were tied off on the battlefield until he could be transferred to a clinic in Bilovodsk. From there he travelled to Kharkiv and eventually to the Lviv Hospital where he has been since February 8th.
It is truly heartbreaking to see young and hopeful, humble and hardworking Ukrainians like Oleksiy lying maimed and wounded in hospital beds, unable to return to their lives as a result of this senseless war.
If you can help other young men such as Oleksiy, please give generously. There are many more young men, we’ve sent funds to almost 40 men now, and yet there are hundreds more who have lost arms, legs or suffered even worse injuries and who need our help.
You can donate at any branch of Ukrainian Credit Union Limited or through our Call Centre 416-922-4407, 800-461-0777. Please ask for account #721225. This is not a registered charity and charitable receipts will not be issued. Cheques can be made out to UCU Helps Ukraine and sent to our head office at: Ukrainian Credit Union Limited, 146 Evans Ave, Toronto M8Z 5X8.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call Yuriy Diakunchak at 416-763-5575 x208.
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