Kyiv residents and businesses coordinate aid and self-defense as fighting consumes the suburbs

Businessman Dmytro Tymoshenko turned his paint company into a force for self-preservation in Kyiv. His facilities now produce their own flak jackets as well as serving as a hub for distributing medicines and other humanitarian aid. James Andre, Jonathan Walsh and Oleksiy Gordeyev of France 24 meet with volunteers involved in this effort.

Dmytro Tymoshenko Paints employed 70 people before Russia invaded Ukraine a month ago. Since then, regular operations have ceased, and instead, Tymoshenko directs the company’s resources towards protecting the capital – starting with the production of its own flak jackets.

Many people came to the martial units. They all came with just a gun but no bulletproof vest, no medicine, and nothing. “So we are trying to prepare them to win,” Tymoshenko said.

His wife and children fled abroad, seeking refuge from the fighting. But Tymoshenko stayed, turning his warehouses into logistics centers, where volunteers sort and send medicines and other supplies.

Among them is Anna Babenko, who volunteered while her husband was fighting on the front lines. His unit was recently hit.

“He called me late last night and told me that only four of them were still alive,” Babenko says. I want the air raid sirens to stop. I want the children to go to school. I want all of this to stop.”

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