A “SHOCKED” SALFORD MAN has received an award from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence for his volunteer work helping the country’s army.
Vasyl Bihun, 43, of Bury New Road in Salford, leads a team of volunteers who collect money, medicine and equipment for those affected by the war in the East of the country.
Father-of-two Vasyl, a sports coach and teacher, has lived in Manchester for 17 years since moving from his native Ukraine.
He said: “I am very proud, but it’s not just thanks from me but this is an award for our whole volunteer group and everyone involved who is helping in any way they can.
“Altogether, we are all working for the same things. I would like to thank the people of Manchester and Britain, the Government and the Queen for all their help for my country.”
The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) oversees the volunteers and represents over 25 thousand Ukrainians across the country.
Petro Rewko, AUGB chair, said: “This award is welcome recognition of the dedication and hard work from Mr Bihun and many others in our community to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves.”
Vasyl and his group began collecting items to send to Ukraine in 2013, when the Maidan anti-government protests started in 2013.
They are only one of two groups in the UK that are officially recognised by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, the other is in London.
The items collected by both groups are collected by couriers and driven over two thousand miles, across six borders, to Eastern Ukraine.
When asked about why he and his group started, Vasyl said: “We know that Russia is occupying Crimea and Donbas so everywhere, all patriotic people wanted to do something to help their country.
“Some people help by fighting, and some people help in any other ways they can.”
The need for items increased quickly as the protests gave way to a bloody war in the eastern Donbas region.
Vasyl said: “At the start of the war, the army’s budget had been emptied and the soldiers barely had anything that they needed.”
Three years later, and with no end to the conflict in sight, the need for items is still very much there, though the army has caught up a little.
Vasyl explained that they are now focusing on collecting warm clothing as temperatures can reach up to minus-twenty degrees.
Despite this, Vasyl is still optimistic about the future, he said: “My dream for Ukraine is for the country to be an independent, free country. It must be part of the EU, NATO and be very strong and bright in the future.”
Interview conducted in translation.
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