On 26 January, after weeks of pleading, Germany finally agreed to send advanced battle tanks to Ukraine.
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Both the UK and the US have also pledged more heavy weapons, despite fears such a move might escalate the war.
Either way, Vladimir Putin is escalating. A further mass mobilisation of troops in Russia is on the way.
But many Ukrainian citizens are also mobilising, becoming increasingly focussed on volunteerism and fundraising in a bid to bolster the war effort, according to the contributors behind Sky News Ukraine War Diaries’ podcast.
“Any government cannot supply 100 per cent of everything to our soldiers,” explains Ilyas Verdiev, who in this latest episode follows a national trend by using his birthday to raise money for Ukrainian military units in Bakhmut – the eastern city at the epicentre of the fighting right now.
“This is how the whole nation accumulates their possibilities in order to support our soldiers,” he continues.
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Ukraine War Diarist, Ilyas Verdiev, pictured at the Polish border
This week, the fundraising of company executive turned military volunteer, Seva Koshel – who has completed more than 15 military assignments to source vehicles for the front line – helps a tank unit near Bakhmut.
“I just had a few calls with my guys who are nearby Bakhmut,” he explains. “Last week we have crowdfunded some money and we bought four tablets for [our] guys who are serving in one of the brigades.
“They’re in tank regiment and they need this tablet, as they put some special military software [on it] and their fire will be better now.”
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Military volunteer Seva Koshel pictured during a supply drop to a Ukrainian tank battalion in Bakhmut, eastern Ukraine
Meanwhile, months of fighting in the east has resulted in more displaced families arriving into Kyiv.
“These are the people who moved from the east and south of Ukraine,” explains diarist, Oksana Koshel. “From the towns and villages that are now facing a threat of possible occupation or destruction.
“They now find themselves in, you know, severe need of things that we use everyday, such as like, towels or cutlery or bedding [and] blankets.”
For more on Ilyas, Seva and Oksana’s stories, listen to the latest episode of Ukraine War Diaries.
