Ukraine into Tangible Action The 600th humanitarian shipment, thousands of volunteers, hundreds of trips, and a new large-scale winter campaign, Ukraine Fryser. In Denmark, support for Ukraine has long transcended political statements. It is measured in tons of humanitarian aid, hours of volunteer work, and people who load trucks bound for Ukrainian cities with their own hands.
On August 24, 2026, on Ukraine’s Independence Day, the Danish town of Ringsted became the venue for an event that symbolically united Ukrainian independence, Danish solidarity, and concrete assistance.
It was on this day that the humanitarian organization Bevar Ukraine dispatched its 600th humanitarian aid shipment to Ukraine. Simultaneously, the nationwide Danish campaign Ukraine Fryser (“Ukraine Freezes”) was launched, aimed at preparing Ukrainian communities for another challenging winter.
The loading of the anniversary truck was joined by Speaker of the Danish Folketing Søren Gade, leader of the “Denmark Democrats” Inger Støjberg, Mayor of Ringsted Andreas Karlsen, Mayor of Vordingborg Mikael Smed, representatives of Danish municipalities, businesses, and civil society, as well as Ambassador of Ukraine to Denmark Andrii Yanevskyi. Well-known Danish blogger and influencer of Ukrainian descent Irina Olsen also joined the volunteer team.
This was not merely a symbolic gesture. Politicians, business representatives, and NGO members were literally loading equipment into the trucks with their own hands. It is in such moments that official solidarity transforms into a human bond.
Over 12 years of operation, Bevar Ukraine has established a powerful humanitarian and logistics network that has united thousands of people across Denmark and Ukraine. The organization collects, sorts, and delivers humanitarian aid to where it is needed most.
“This is a great example of the Danish state, where an ordinary humanitarian organization can reach the highest officials and invite them to celebrate Ukraine’s Independence Day by directly helping Ukraine and loading trucks with their own hands. Many responded and came to load today. This demonstrates Denmark’s immense support for Ukraine,” says Andriy Kuzmyn, Executive Director of Bevar Ukraine.
Following the start of the full-scale invasion, the scale of the organization’s work transformed dramatically.
“The logistics changed significantly, and so did the scale. Before 2022, we sent approximately up to 10 trucks per year. Now, 120–130 trucks of aid depart for Ukraine each year,” shares Andriy Kuzmyn.
Under current operations, this effectively means two large trucks every single week.
Behind each of them lies not only administrative work, but also dozens of people who come to our warehouses in different parts of Denmark—in Ringsted and Holstebro—to sort, pack, and personally load the supplies.
“First and foremost, it is our volunteers. Great honor and glory to them. They come here every week and dispatch two trucks to Ukraine. They load everything with their own hands. Of course, the organization has a management team, a board that ensures the organization grows and delivers as much aid to Ukraine as possible,” notes the head of Bevar Ukraine.
The milestone 600th shipment departed as part of a humanitarian convoy of six trucks. The route encompassed Lviv, Vinnytsia, Kyiv, Bucha, Pereiaslav, and Cherkasy.
The cargo includes equipment with purely practical applications: generators and pumps for critical infrastructure, medical beds and mattresses, wheelchairs, disinfectants for rehabilitation centers, equipment for a perinatal center, rehabilitation fitness equipment, and pet food.
A dedicated focus area is supporting Ukrainian healthcare. Bevar Ukraine regularly supplies Ukrainian hospitals with medical equipment, functional hospital beds, rehabilitation aids, and other vital resources.
For those directly transporting the aid, every journey comes with profound responsibility.
“This is a tremendous amount of support from Denmark to Ukraine. We are proud to have such Danish friends who help, and we are already delivering the 600th truck. Naturally, there is anxiety, as we have to cross the border, drive for two days to reach Ukraine, and then distribute everything across the regions of Ukraine and deliver on time. When we arrive, people are very grateful to the Danes and to us for the help,” says Stepan Povoroznyk, the Ukrainian driver of the 600th truck.
Among those who regularly handle humanitarian shipments is Danish national Elvin Kim Budich Pedersen. He is our dedicated volunteer who, along with two Danish drivers, personally escorted the convoy to Ukraine.
“My soul is proud. I am proud of my driver friends. We are driving to Ukraine with a vehicle packed with medical aid for the Ukrainian people. This is a very difficult time right now. Soon it will be very cold, and people need everything that is in this cargo. For me, delivering the essentials on time is critically important. We stand with Ukraine and want people to be provided with everything during these difficult times. I love Ukraine very much. Slava Ukraini!” shares Elvin.
It is precisely stories like these that demonstrate that international support consists of far more than state-level decisions or financial packages. It begins with an individual person who chooses to dedicate their time, energy, and resources to help another country.
Ambassador of Ukraine to Denmark Andrii Yanevskyi underscores the human dimension of this solidarity.
“Everything begins with people. When Danes come in person to help and load humanitarian trucks with their own hands, they invest not only physical labor, but a piece of their soul. They genuinely empathize with Ukrainians.”
According to the ambassador, people receiving this aid in Ukraine feel that behind it are not abstract figures, but real individuals who have devoted their own time and resources.
Denmark remains one of Ukraine’s vital partners. At the same time, alongside governmental and military assistance, humanitarian and people-to-people initiatives that build trust and understanding between societies carry profound significance.
Behind every truck stand individuals for whom volunteering has become a way of life.
Volunteer Ivan Marutsan notes that the ultimate motivation comes from the tangible results of this work.
“I am deeply motivated by the work Bevar Ukraine does. When you witness the scale of this activity and hear feedback from the people who received help, you realize: for them, this is extremely vital, valuable, and timely. That is what provides an incredible incentive to continue helping and supporting Ukraine.”
For Olena Mushchynska, a volunteer and head of the Academy of Creative Hearts at Bevar Ukraine, it is not only the material result of the aid that matters, but also the atmosphere of human compassion.
“Because I work directly with people, I see every day how essential it is for them to come to our center. Here, they can be together, find support, seek advice, or simply unwind in an atmosphere of genuine Ukrainian ‘hygge’—in a warm and familial comfort. These are the people who give me strength and drive, and their heartfelt emotions, hugs, and words of gratitude are the greatest reward.”
One of the core values of humanitarian work is its tangible outcome.
In Pereiaslav, Bevar Ukraine’s assistance was received by the local community and hospital. The town has become a haven for many internally displaced persons, while the medical facility provides care to frontline veterans, children, and people forced to flee occupied territories.
Mayor of Pereiaslav Viacheslav Saulko emphasizes that under wartime conditions, local budget capacities are limited, as a substantial portion of resources is allocated toward national defense.
“In times of war, the community’s budget is directed toward our defenders in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which means we cannot procure so many items in large volumes on our own, yet they are urgently required. The support we received is immensely significant and vital for us. I thank the people of Denmark and everyone who helped deliver this cargo.”
Andriy Nechyporuk, head of the Pereiaslav Hospital, also emphasizes the practical impact of the received equipment:
“We received the most essential supplies that were urgently needed right now. The equipment we received will allow us to expand the scope of our medical care.”
Another example is Bucha, a city that became one of the symbols of Russian aggression against Ukraine.
For the community, maintaining the uninterrupted operation of municipal infrastructure remains crucial. This is why the heating circulation pumps supplied by Bevar Ukraine hold significance far beyond ordinary mechanical hardware.
“I express my gratitude for the equipment, specifically for the recirculation pumps for the heating supply. This equipment will secure uninterrupted heating across the Bucha community. It is critically important. Thank you to Bevar Ukraine for the essential help to our community, and to the Danish people for their support,” states Andrii Prodan, Deputy Head of utility company Buchaservis.
For the city, this translates into energy efficiency, the stability of critical infrastructure, and, most importantly, warmth for the people.
The 600th humanitarian shipment marked an essential milestone, but certainly not a finish line.
On the contrary, it opened a new chapter. Alongside the departure of the milestone truck, the campaign Ukraine Fryser, https://ukrainefryser.dk, was launched, rallying Danish businesses, foundations, municipalities, and civil society around preparing Ukraine for another winter. Bevar Ukraine views this initiative as the natural progression of its years-long mission.
Its rationale is straightforward: do not wait for winter to confront Ukrainian cities with new crises, but prepare well in advance. This is where humanitarian aid assumes strategic importance.
A generator is not just a piece of machinery. A pump is not merely equipment. A hospital bed is not simply hospital furniture.
Behind each of these lies the ability of a hospital to keep operating, a community to preserve heat, healthcare workers to treat patients, and families to endure another harsh winter.
600 trucks are already history. Yet the true meaning of this number lies in the thousands of people it has brought together: Danes, Ukrainians, volunteers, medical professionals, business leaders, politicians, drivers, civic activists, and everyday citizens who decided one day to lend a hand.
Because international solidarity is not measured solely in billions and formal documents.
Sometimes it takes a very tangible shape: boxes that someone packs into a truck with their own hands. It travels thousands of kilometers. And ultimately, it turns into light, warmth, medical care, and the reassurance that you are not alone.
Denmark continues to hold Ukraine’s hand. And as long as that hand holds firm, warmth will unfailingly reach those waiting for it.
Journalist Olena Liaudanskaite
Photo: Olga Kratiuk