Ukrainian soldiers send message of thanks and plea for help to people of Liverpool

Ukrainian soldiers have sent a message of thanks to Liverpool for all its support – and a desperate plea for more help as they continue to fight the Russian invasion.

Military units, many on the front line defending the heavily targeted Kharkiv City, sent videos via the Polskie Merseyside group, which was set up to help get supplies to those forced to flee their homes in the conflict.

In March this year, the group – which is based on County Road in Walton – managed to collect an incredible £2million-plus worth of goods which were sent out to Poland to be given to Ukrainian refugees.

Michael Francowiak, co-founder of Polskie Merseyside, appealed on The Guide for donations of clothes, toys, toiletries, nappies, blankets, thermals and more essential items for Ukrainian families.

They had a huge response, filling two warehouses with donations which were then taken in three lorries to families in desperate need.

Now it’s the army rather than escaping civilians who are urging generous Liverpool supporters to urgently send more aid.

Speaking from trenches and observation posts in under-siege parts of Ukraine, the soldiers say they are in dire need of more supplies to help them keep up their resistance.

You can watch the video sent by Ukrainian soldiers here:

In one video shared with Polskie Merseyside, the men say:

“We are a mortar battalion of the Ukraine armed forces, we are defending the unity of our country, also outside its borders.

“Our battalion needs food, first aid kits and rehabilitation equipment, hygiene products, thermal imagers and unmanned aerial vehicles.

“We are very grateful for the help from our friends from Liverpool – we are hanging in because we deserve it.

“We wish our friends from the UK health and let the war not enter your house like it came to our home. And now we have to defend our homeland, leaving our family behind, from the enemy that came.

“All will be Ukraine! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!”

Another message comes from an observation post where soldiers are doing their best with very limited resources to monitor the advances of Russian forces.

They say: “Hello friends, we are a military unit in Kharkiv City, we observe the enemy’s actions from here to inform our colleagues and brothers where the attacks and shelling comes from. We now have only one binocular in our observing post, unfortunately it is not enough as the enemy is in several points. We are in urgent need for binoculars, digital walkie-talkies, phones which cannot be detected.

“We know that we have our friends in Liverpool and we ask you for help.”

In response to the videos, Polskie Merseyside has arranged a second collection, specifically for walkie-talkies, binoculars, food with a long shelf-life, first aid kits, and hygiene products.

They will be delivered directly to the Ukrainian army by volunteers from the group.

A collection of donations will be made at a Summer Fair organised by Polskie Merseyside on Sunday July 10 from 11am to 6pm at Activities for All in Maguire Avenue, Bootle.

Anyone arriving with a box of goods to send out to Ukraine will be given free entry to the fair.

Find out more about Polskie Merseyside HERE.