Boris KhmelnitskiyFriends and fellow members of the LabShul circle,

A year ago today, the world was enthralled by the figure skating doping scandal at the Beijing Winter Olympic Games and the emergence of the new puzzle craze, the Worldle. It was nearly unfathomable that 12 months later we would be approaching the first anniversary of the Russian brutal invasion into Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war, like many in our community, I have been offering my time, energy, words, and direct actions in support of the Ukrainian people.

On February 20, I’m traveling back to Ukraine on the next mission – and I’m reaching out to you now to share this: among the best direct ways to assist Ukraine is to send tourniquets, devices that stanch the flow of blood in case of injury. There is currently a dire shortage of these life-saving devices for both the military and civilian use, and while basic tourniquets are produced in Ukraine locally, the stronger, military-grade units are imported.

My colleague Anna Husarska, Warsaw-based journalist and political analyst, and I purchase the tourniquets in the US for $25 each, then travel with the shipment to Warsaw and personally drive them to our field partners in Odesa, to eliminate most of administrative costs and to liaise with the recipients directly. Anna recently published an article on the tourniquets’ importance in The New York Times, and had already delivered nearly two thousand devices to Ukraine. Now we are gathering funds to buy two thousand tourniqutes more – because there are, and will be, many wounded Ukrainians whose bleeding we can help stop.

I welcome you to join our effort and contribute $25, or multiples thereof, using PayPal (http://paypal.me/tourniquets4ukraine) or Zelle (mobile: +13475435351). Feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or wish to request credentials for the bank account. If you are able to donate, please do so right away.

Please watch, and share, the short video below that offers more context for this action.

In solidarity, and with the warmest wishes,
Boris

Additional Information:

  • Here is a short video about one of the past deliveries of tourniquets along with a vehicle donated to the anti-missile defense unit
    https://youtu.be/Adpfzee7uwo.