Kyiv bicycle run fundraises for drones for the Ukrainian army

In Kyiv on Podil on September 24, more than 250 people took part in the Winged Bicycle Run, a ten-kilometer charity bicycle ride to raise ₴1 million for drones for reconnaissance in the Zaporizhzhia region, where Ukraine's complex offensive is unfolding. More than 50 participants took part in the Winged Bicycle Run online, having completed their distance in Zhytomyr, Lviv, Vienna, Basel, Hamburg, and other cities and villages worldwide.

Registration for the Winged Bike Run online is open until October 1, during registration, you must indicate that participation is online.

What is the problem?

"Our bike run is winged because we are fundraising for three DJI Mavic 3T and one Autel EVO Max 4T for the Ukrainian army. A good drone lets you see the enemy 20 kilometers away, so you can spot a tank coming to kill you 30 minutes earlier and strike first," Vlad Samoilenko, co-founder of BF Gurkit, told about the purpose of the fundraiser. "This is an opportunity to climb 6,000 meters above the ground and hover over a column of equipment to save a small village. We immediately decided to buy copters with thermal imagers so that our military could destroy the enemy both during the day and at night."

What is the solution?

So far, it has been possible to collect ₴370 thousand for drones, so the fundraiser is ongoing. To participate in the Winged Bicycle March, you can register online and transfer a charitable contribution of ₴578 — one hryvnia for each day of a full-scale war, after which you need to choose the place, time, and comfortable distance of the bike ride yourself. Thanks to the Winged Bicycle Run partners, it was possible to cover the organizational costs, so 100% of the collected funds will go to purchasing drones.

At least 11 servicemen participated in the Winged Bicycle Run in Kyiv. For six of them, this bike ride became part of rehabilitation during treatment and recovery from concussions and PTSD. For other participants, it was an opportunity to do a good deed, meet in a pleasant company, and turn the pedals for the needs of the Defense Forces. Therefore, in addition to charitable and financial goals, the cycling event had a social component, both for civilian participants and for the military, explained Anastasia Makarenko, executive director of U-Cycle (Cyclist Association of Kyiv).

How does it work?

The organizers of the Winged Bicycle Run are the Gurkit charitable foundation and U-Cycle, a non-governmental organization of the Association of Cyclists of Kyiv. All participants of the Winged Bicycle March in Kyiv received a medal made from a used sleeve. Online participants will receive a commemorative souvenir. At the start of the Winged Bicycle Run in Kyiv, a musical set from the NevertheLes project was played by Lesyk Yakymchuk, a Podolian resident and co-founder of the charity organization UA First Aid. At the finish line, a charity auction was held for the participants of the Winged Bicycle Run from the Orange Rover bicycle store and the LOVESPACE sex shop.

The partners of the Winged Bicycle Run were the Department of Youth and Sports of the city of Kyiv, the Patrol Police of the city of Kyiv, the tourist equipment store Gorgany, the private school European Collegium, the charitable organization UA First Aid, the active recreation service Veliki.ua, the Ukrainian tuning manufacturer KRUK, FOP Tovkach, Igromag board games store and club, Boosters IT company, EVERLEGAL law firm. Thanks to the event's partners, it was possible to cover the organizational costs, so 100% of the donations will go to drones for the Defense Forces.

Ukrainian artists MONATIK, Svitlana Tarabarova, KHAYAT, ROXOLANA, EYRA, KHAS, Dima Prokopov, bands BAH.ROMA, KARTA SVITU, MOLODI and Kvitkis, bloggers Vanya Russell, Natella Kirs, and Roman Buturlakin, and TV presenter Dmytro Romashko supported the Winged Run on social networks.