July 2026
Dear Friends of Ukraine,
By now you have probably heard some good news from Ukraine. The middle- and long-range drone strikes have found success in disrupting russian logistics routes and oil facilities. Numerous viral videos have surfaced showing miles-long gas station queues for russian civilians who, for the first time, are feeling what it means for their state to be at war.
You may have also heard some bad news. russia continues to strike Ukraine in its typical fashion—by killing and injuring civilians with ballistic missiles, for which Ukraine is out of interceptors. Though there is no tactical military advantage to blowing up churches, hospitals, apartment buildings, and chicken factories, russia remains committed to a strategy of inflicting pain and horror on the Ukrainian people.
It’s important for us not to get lost in headlines about the long-range strikes in the skies, and to stay focused on our mission to help Defenders on the ground—which is exactly what we are doing by continuing to distribute life-saving aid to infantry in Ukraine. To support our mission from the USA, we invite you to join us for Dine Out for Ukraine on July 23rd across 40 restaurants in Colorado and in DC. Proceeds from your meal that day benefit Sunflower Seeds Ukraine and support the many businesses that support Ukraine! Please invite your friends and family to join you to Dine With Purpose and Stand With Ukraine!
Read on to learn more about how your donations turned into aid distributed in May, how you can help Defenders beat the summer heat, details on upcoming events, and updates from the frontlines. Please also see a very special blog by Sunflower Seeds Ukraine supporter Professor Sarah Sokhey of the University of Colorado.
Thank you for your continued support.
Kyle, Andriy, Slava, Ulana, Sarah, and all of us at
Sunflower Seeds Ukraine
Spread Seeds of Help!
P.S. - If you haven’t yet, please follow our new USA Facebook page and Instagram page to get updates on Colorado area events, news from Ukraine, and other important updates.
In May 2026, SFSU US Team provided 1,118 items to 465 Defenders:
65 individual first aid kits (tourniquets, chest seals ...)
230 protective equipment items (electronic earmuffs, knee pads...)
298 field gear items (backpacks, load bearing vests, pouches...)
127 uniform components (uniform sets, sleeping pads, boots...)
398 other items (powerbanks, NVDs, drone detectors...)
Thank you to all of our donors who contributed to our efforts this month!
In our feedback form, Ukrainian Defenders frequently highlight the speed, efficiency, and convenience of the delivery process, despite a high volume of requests (now reaching 1,000/month). Furthermore, they emphasize the high quality and utility of the gear provided. As one defender shared:
"All the gear is excellent! And the water filtration tube and the hydration pack are super necessary things on the positions, especially in summer. The items received are essential in service conditions, and will greatly help me in performing my assigned tasks in the future."
Read more on our blog.
Last year we fulfilled 1,147 requests for hydration packs from Ukrainian Defenders, and this year we are on track to beat that record. We have already delivered more than 2,658 CamelBaks and 394 water filters from the start of the war to date, suggesting the urgent need for Defenders to stay hydrated during the hot summer months.
Defenders are operating in extreme heat, often far from reliable sources of clean water. Dehydration is not just uncomfortable in a combat zone—it is dangerous, and it degrades the focus and physical performance that Defenders depend on to stay alive. Please help us keep our Defenders hydrated this summer:
25 dollars provides 1 complete hydration pack, including a case and an insert.
50 dollars buys 5 personal water filters shipped directly to Ukraine.
100 dollars provides 4 complete hydration packs for a squad of Defenders.
250 dollars provides 25 personal water filters for a platoon of Defenders
Donate today to help keep Ukraine's Defenders hydrated, healthy, and fighting.
Wednesday, July 22: DakhaBrakha performance at Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder, proudly presented by Colorado Sunflower Seeds Ukraine, along with KGNU. Get your tickets for DakhaBrakha, and make a reservation for a special 3-course Ukrainian meal ($50 per person) at The Chautauqua Dining Hall ahead of the show on July 22nd! A portion of the proceeds from your meal will benefit Sunflower Seeds Ukraine!
Thursday, July 23: Dine Out for Ukraine at the growing list of over 40 restaurants across Colorado’s Front Range, including our newest addition in Washington, D.C. and Bethesda, Maryland (RUTA), all benefitting Sunflower Seeds Ukraine. Pick your restaurant(s), invite friends and family to join you, make your reservations, and know you are dining with purpose on Thursday, July 23rd!
Saturday, July 25: Join us for a solar charger event at Pattern Break Brewing in Boulder. Convert and decorate solar panels to be used in Ukraine as solar chargers to fill energy gaps!
For more details about these and other events, please visit the SFSU events website. For a recap of our recent events, visit our blog.
THERE IS HOPE FOR UKRAINE, AND OUR SUPPORT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER
A nationally representative survey of Ukrainians conducted in June 2026 reveals a portrait of remarkable resilience under enormous strain. An overwhelming 70% of Ukrainians are worried about war fatigue among their fellow citizens—a sign not of weakness, but of clear-eyed awareness of just how much has been asked of them over the course of the full-scale war.
The same survey offers a striking reminder of why grassroots support matters. An overwhelming majority (73%) see Americans as friends of Ukraine—a sentiment shaped in no small part by organizations like Sunflower Seeds Ukraine and the communities that support them. Our work is part of what keeps that relationship alive.
This month's blog post, written by survey co-author Sarah Wilson Sokhey, goes deeper: exploring Ukraine's history of local resilience, the role of decentralization in Ukraine's ability to withstand invasion, and what "optimal hope" looks like in practice. It is a thoughtful and encouraging read for anyone who has ever wondered whether their support is making a difference.
The answer, according to the data, is yes. Read the full post for more.
On June 25th, President Zelensky announced a 40-day operation aimed at pressuring russia to the negotiating table. As part of this campaign, Ukraine has continued striking russian oil refineries and logistical targets, and has hit more than 35 shadow fleet ships used by russia as alternative logistical methods in the sea of Azov. The cumulative effect is significant: russia's energy sector is approaching a crisis, with fuel rationing, days-long queues, and disruptions severe enough to be felt by ordinary russian civilians. A recent poll found that 81% of russians now support an immediate end to the war, the highest level of war fatigue recorded since 2022.
Meanwhile, russia continues to target Ukrainian civilians with ballistic missiles, which Ukraine currently has no reliable defense against. On the night of July 2nd, a barrage of 28 ballistic missiles struck Kyiv, killing 31 and injuring more than 100. While the U.S. administration recently greenlit Ukraine to domestically produce Patriot missiles, production will likely take at least a few years to begin. Read the full update for details.
HELP US SPREAD THE WORD
To read longer versions of our news stories, visit the blog on our website, where you also can learn more about upcoming events and volunteering opportunities.
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*The misspelling and lower casing of proper names like ‘russia’ in this newsletter is intentional and used as signs of disdain and disrespect. Similarly, the uppercasing of words such as ‘Defenders’ is intentional and used as a sign of respect and appreciation.
