A group of businessmen, who recently returned from delivering more than €1 million worth of medical aid to Ukraine, have reported worsening conditions in Lviv.
The convoy of 4x4 vehicles, including ambulances and a mobile kitchen as well as medical equipment, left from Greystones, Co Wicklow, on September 25th.
It was the third annual trip by the group, some of whom were still in Lviv when the city was bombed by Russian drones at the start of this month.
Stephen Byrne, who organised the group of 30 men, said Ukrainian people were being “incredibly brave” despite graveyards more than doubling in size since their first trip.
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“We visited one woman in [the city of] Kolomyia, Natalia Tarabalka, whose son was a fighter pilot killed in the war. She had given up her home for use by recovering soldiers and she runs an aid centre for those with post-traumatic stress disorder and physical injuries,“ he said.
Mr Byrne said some of the group were “just two blocks away” from Russia’s missile and drone attacks on the city.
“It was too close for comfort. The sirens go off and everybody has an app telling them where the nearest bomb shelter is. Kids go from school into the bomb shelters and continue their school work. When the raid is over they go back to school.
“But the young men are all gone doing their duty on the front line, the farmers have left crops in the fields and there are weeds coming up in what was the bread basket of Europe,” Mr Byrne said.
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The group drove 15 vehicles to the UK where they met up with Scottish group Jeeps for Peace bringing the total number of vehicles in the convoy to about 40.
The vehicles and other equipment in the Irish group have all been acquired through donations and fundraising and were handed over to the Ukranian military, while the medical equipment was given directly to hospitals and orphanages.
Mr Byrne thanked Finola Harrington, whose efforts among Irish hospitals and the medical professions secured €1 million worth of medical equipment.
Before setting off, a joint liturgy and blessing was performed by Church of Ireland Archbishop Michael Jackson and Catholic Bishop Donal Roche at The Church of the Holy Rosary in Greystones. The bishops were aided by Canon David Mungavin and Fr Bernardo De Nardo.
Meanwhile, children from St Patrick’s and St David’s schools in Greystones, who have made cards and messages of support for children in Ukraine, also attended the send off.
Michael O’Brien, one of the drivers, thanked the schoolchildren for making cards which were last year given to children in Ukraine. “It is often the first indication to them that there are children outside their school, in the wider world, who care what happens to them. It is wonderful to see,” he said.
