Cycling trip for Ukraine: Meet 5 cyclists who biked across borders to help Ukraine

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the international community responded with an outpouring of support for Ukrainians. Countries around the globe welcomed refugees fleeing war, allied governments sent all kinds of aid, and ordinary citizens, even with small deeds, tried to support Ukraine as best as they could.

Over two years into the war, their support persists. Tenacious and caring people — be they from Europe, the Americas, or Asia — fight with Ukrainian soldiers on the front line, fundraise for the army and war-affected civilians, and much more. They even go on epic bike journeys, traveling thousands of kilometers to collect donations for the Ukrainian cause.

Today, we'll talk about some of these extraordinary supporters of Ukraine who prove that whoever and wherever you are, you can make a difference — Rubryka lists the top 5 epic charity bike trips for Ukraine.

1. Small town mayor from Norway

Jonas Andersen Sayed, the mayor of the small Norwegian town of Sokndal, has been an avid Ukrainian supporter since the first months of the full-scale war. To show his solidarity with Ukraine, he traveled to the country three times, helped deliver aid from the local nonprofit Biler til Ukraina (Cars for Ukraine), and raised NOK150,000 (about $13,500) to buy medical equipment for a hospital in Ukraine.

"What the Ukrainians are going through is unfair and horrible. It's my sense of justice that drives me," the Norwegian mayor commented.

For his fourth visit in July 2023, Jonas decided to ride his bike to raise more donations for Ukraine. He used his vacation time to travel 2,000 km, an impressively long journey, from Sokndal to Zaliztsi, the twin city in the western part of Ukraine.

During his bike trip, Jonas raised NOK150,400 (about $14,500), which was used to purchase two Mavic drones, tablets, a thermal imager, computer equipment for artillery, and a power generator for Ukrainian soldiers fighting on the front line.

The young mayor was also accompanied by a Biler til Ukraina car, which delivered food and medical equipment to the soldiers.

Jonas commented, "It is easy to think that donations from individuals and a small town in Norway mean nothing. But they offer some hope and help those who receive the aid."

2. 70-year-old doctor from France

Karim Lounici, a 70-year-old French doctor, has supported Ukraine since the first days of the Russian invasion. He felt deeply for Ukraine because he experienced war as well — the Algerian War (1954-1962) — as a child. When the war in Ukraine broke out, he sought to join the Ukrainian Armed Forces twice but was unable to due to his age, limited English, and lack of military experience.

Despite this, Mr. Lounici remained determined to help. He volunteered in Ukraine, working in a shelter for displaced people in Lviv and traveling to northern cities battered by war to support affected Ukrainians. In June 2023, the Frenchman went on his second visit — a bike trip for Ukraine  — to raise money for generators as power outages became common for Ukrainians due to Russian strikes on energy facilities and much-needed medical kits for soldiers, risking their lives on the front.

Crossing the borders of five countries, Karim Lounici cycled over 4,500 km from the town of Pornichet in western France to Ukraine's capital, Kyiv.

On his stop in Lviv, he said, "I came here on behalf of all the people who want peace. Through my visit, I want to remind the world that the war in Ukraine is still ongoing. It's important to lead by example and inspire others to support your country."

3. Estonian MP

Estonia has been a strong and loyal ally of Ukraine since even before Russia unleashed its full-scale war. It was one of the first countries to send weapons to Ukrainian soldiers and has been unwavering in its solidarity with Ukrainians, so it came as no surprise when a member of the Estonian parliament decided to offer his personal gesture of support and help raise money for the Ukrainian armed forces.

MP Kristo Enn Vaga, a former professional cyclist, decided to go on a bike trip for Ukraine and collect donations with NAFO, an online community countering Russian propaganda and disinformation. Announcing the fundraising trip in April 2023, he said,

"The war is only a bike ride away from us. To illustrate this, next week, I will ride my bike 1,700 kilometers from Tallinn to Kyiv."

And Kristo did it! In just a week, he covered the distance and raised €44,862 as part of the "Ride for the Victory" campaign to purchase pickup trucks and drones for the Ukrainian army.

The Estonian MP commented, "I want to show that we are not tired, that Estonians are not tired, and that we cannot afford to be tired when there is a war in Europe — literally one bicycle ride away from us. And today, we have to do everything possible to help Ukraine win."

4. Canadian veteran

Canadian marine veteran Jakob Kepka, the son of Polish refugees who fled the Second World War, once promised his father that if anything ever happened in Eastern Europe, he would go back and support people in need. He fulfilled that promise when Russia started the full-scale war against Ukraine. First, Jakob volunteered as a translator for an American foundation, helped to build a clinic in Ukraine, and then decided to do something even more meaningful.

As a veteran with an amputation and a prosthetic leg, Jakob wanted to support wounded Ukrainian soldiers who also lost their limbs in combat, collect funds for their rehabilitation and prosthetics, and raise awareness about the human cost of the war. He found a way to do all that by traveling on a 1,200-km bike trip from Krakow, Poland, to Ukraine, dubbing it the Hope Raising Expedition.

The Canadian veteran started his month-long ride in August 2024. During his journey, he met with injured soldiers and tried to instill hope in them and encourage them to live full lives after recovery. When he finished the ride in Kyiv, Jakob was met by locals with words and cheers of gratitude for his advocacy for Ukraine and its soldiers.

In an interview with Rubryka, Jakob shared that it is his "honor and duty" to support Ukraine, whether it is a bike trip or amplifying Ukrainian voices. He added:

"I think all I know is that I will support Ukraine in whatever manner I can, as long as I draw breath and as long as this war continues and beyond."

Read our interview with an extraordinary activist, Jakob Kepka, here.

5. French journalist

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, French journalist Sébastien Gobert has dedicated himself to covering the war, meeting with soldiers defending Ukraine's freedom and civilians impacted by Russian aggression, and bringing their stories to a global audience.

As the husband of Ukrainian writer Haska Shyyan, who lives in Ukraine full-time and has his beloved family there, Sébastien has tried to garner as much support for Ukraine and its people as possible, particularly through working with Team4UA, a humanitarian organization, in 2023.

In 2024, Sébastien decided to do something more to support Ukraine and ventured on a bold bike trip to raise money for French volunteer fighter Jonathan Delporte and his unit, which protects Ukraine on the front. During his 25-day cycling journey this autumn, Sébastien traveled 2,136 km — more than his intended goal of 1,700 km — on his bicycle and collected €6,959.

"My motivation was very personal, [and] this isn't my first long-distance bike trip across Europe or the world," the Frenchman stated. "I lived in Ukraine for a while and understand the situation. I want to be of help."

Recently, Sébastien posted on his social media that he and his friends had already delivered the Nissan Navara pickup truck, bought with raised funds, to Jonathan's unit on the eastern front.