A team of volunteers presented their 100th vehicle to the general public at the central Ploshcha Rynok in Lviv on September 4. Thousands of passers-by had the chance to view the armoured pick-ups and discover how they are used in defensive and offensive operations. The vehicle was produced for the Karpatska Sich battalion, but differs from others as it was equipped for the Browning M2 machine gun. This was the first time that the volunteers, who are part of car4Ukraine.com, mounted the racks for this type of machine gun.
These vehicles are vital on the battlefield due to their high cross-country performance; they are used for active combat actions in anti-tank operations and in defensive and offensive operations. An international team of volunteers presented nine more vehicles with turrets for various types of weapons.
All these cars will soon be on their way to the frontline.
Lviv city mayor Andriy Sadovy attended the presentation. He expressed his gratitude to Lviv-based volunteers for their patriotism and help.
“It is a great honor for me that Roman Hapachylo, a Lviv comedian engaged in business, is a symbol of the whole entrepreneurial movement in our Ukraine… From the first days of the war they’ve been doing everything possible and impossible to ensure our soldiers are protected and able to perform their duties If it weren’t for our entrepreneurs, who find funds, provide logistics to deliver a car in Ukraine, it would be difficult for everyone.”
According to the project’s founder and its executive director, Roman Hapachylo, the team has already sent 108 combat vehicles to the frontline.
“We have already sent 108 vehicles. The 100th one, which is also on this square today, took us the longest. We have already made 116 Bandera-cars, and we have orders for another 700 vehicles,” Hapachylo noted.
Array of vehicles on display in the center of Lviv on September 4 seen to be on the frontline. (Photo Credit: Tvoemisto.tv)
“We modernize all the pick-up trucks we buy, equip them with armour protection and turrets for various small arms and grenade launchers. Fighters of the Azov battalion and Special Forces Brigade named after Ivan Bohun received orc killers recently,” he underlined.
According to Ivan Oleksiy, co-founder of the project, thousands of people who help to buy and re-equip the vehicles never actually get to see them.
“A lot of people see the war online. We wanted to demonstrate something real, show something felt, that can be touched. This week, the cars will go to the frontline to fight for Ukraine’s victory, so today was a great opportunity to tell our compatriots about ourselves, about our project,” he said.
This type of vehicle ensures mobility. The car drives up to a certain target, fires and quickly drives back.
The volunteers who are part of the car4Ukraine.com public organization, which equips used vehicles and jeeps bought from abroad with armor and turrets and then tune them up for military needs.
You can learn more about the project and how to donate by visiting bandera-car.com.ua or car4ukraine.com.
One of the refitted vehicles close up, with the words to the opening line of a well-known patriotic song. (Photo Credit: Tvoemisto.tv)
