August 2026
Dear Friends of Ukraine,
On August 24, 2026, Ukraine celebrates 35 years of independence. But the story of Ukrainian identity stretches back far longer than 1991. Ukraine is one of Europe's oldest cultures, dating back to the 9th century, with a language, literature, music, and tradition that is entirely its own. Like the United States and many other democratic nations born from a people's collective choice to be free and determine their own future, Ukraine's independence was not handed to it. It was chosen, fought for, and declared by a people who know they are.
At the heart of russia's invasion is a denial of Ukraine’s identity and nationhood. putin insists that Ukrainians and russians are "one people." Ukraine's answer to that claim, marked by years of extraordinary resistance to russian aggression, has been unambiguous: we are not.
This Independence Day, as we join Ukraine in celebrating 35 years of sovereignty, we are celebrating not just Ukraine’s resilience and determination. We are celebrating a people's right to exist on their own terms.
Read on to see the good your donations did in June, how refurbished medical equipment is saving lives, news about upcoming events, the impact of last month’s Chautauqua and Dine Out events, the latest from the front lines, and how to join our team as a Volunteer Coordinator. Or read no further and click ‘Donate Now’ above to help.
Thank you for your continued support.
Kyle, Andriy, Slava, Ulana, Natalie, and all of us at
Sunflower Seeds Ukraine
Spread Seeds of Help!
In June 2026, we provided 1,438 items to 579 Defenders, including:
90 individual first aid kits (tourniquets, chest seals ...)
394 protective equipment items (electronic earmuffs, knee pads...)
336 field gear items (backpacks, load-bearing vests, pouches...)
181 uniform components (uniform sets, sleeping pads, boots...)
437 other items (powerbanks, NVDs, drone detectors...)
Thank you to our 120 donors who contributed to our efforts this month! And, as always, thank you to all of you who support our mission to save the lives and strengthen the resolve of Ukrainian Defenders.
We’d also like to share a message from one of our recipient Defenders and commander of a Ukrainian marine platoon:
"...with the help of volunteers and caring people, a lot of good deeds can be done. The main thing is the health and lives of service members. So with the help of volunteers and caring people, probably thousands or tens of thousands of people have been saved…it’s a very big help and a very big thank-you to everyone who helps."
For the full video and other exclusive updates from Defenders, please join us on Patreon.
When a Defender is wounded on the front lines, the first point of care is often the difference between not just life and death, but also between recovery and permanent disability. Evacuation medics and field stabilization points are the first line of medical response, but they are chronically under-equipped.
We are raising funds to supply frontline medics with essential refurbished medical equipment, giving them the tools they need to save lives in the critical moments after injury. Your support provides:
$25 supplies an infusion pump (retail value $250)
$50 supplies a suction unit (retail value $500)
$100 supplies a defibrillator (retail value $1,000)
$200 supplies an EKG machine (retail value $2,000)
The refurbished military-grade medical equipment that we supply is fully functional and capable of withstanding extreme battlefield conditions while costing just a fraction of what brand new equipment would cost. Please donate today to put life-saving equipment in the hands of the medics fighting to bring Defenders home alive.
We need YOU! If you’d like to lend your time and energy to making a difference, visit our volunteer page to check out our open volunteer positions, or fill out our general interest form at the bottom of the page. Our team members and volunteers work across borders and time zones to help Ukraine. To apply to the Volunteer Coordinator position, or any other open position, simply respond to this email and let us know which role you’re interested in, along with any skills you have that would make you a good fit.
Saturday, August 15: Join us for a solar charger event at New Image Brewery in Wheatridge, 4-5:30. Convert and decorate solar panels to be used in Ukraine as solar chargers to fill energy gaps!
Saturday, August 22: Ukrainian Independence Day Festival at Belmar Park in Lakewood. Visit the SFSU booth and the dozens of food and craft vendors. Immerse yourself in Ukrainian music and dance!
For more details about these and other events, please visit our events website.
On July 22nd, Sunflower Seeds Ukraine co-presented DakhaBrakha (one of Ukraine's most celebrated musical ensembles) to a moved and captivated audience at Boulder's Chautauqua Auditorium. The neighboring Chautauqua Dining Hall marked the occasion with a three-course Ukrainian dinner, a portion of which benefited SFSU. The evening's most breathtaking moment came when SFSU volunteer Cyndi Kennedy's collage Tryzub, handcrafted from 139 vintage Ukrainian postage stamps, was auctioned by the band from the stage, ultimately selling for $2,100.
The following day, July 23rd, brought our 5th Annual Dine Out for Ukraine, with 40 participating restaurants across Colorado and beyond, including two Ukrainian restaurants outside the state, donating a portion of their proceeds to SFSU. We are deeply grateful to every restaurant that said yes, and to every supporter who chose to dine for Ukraine that evening. Five years in, this event keeps growing because this community keeps showing up. Thank you to all those who participated. Read the full story on our blog.
Ukraine's "40 Days of Pressure" operation concluded on August 4th with a remarkable list of tactical victories. All 11 of russia's largest oil refineries were struck, reducing refining capacity to 2002 levels and causing an estimated $13.5 billion in losses. Ukraine also hit air bases, ballistic missile production facilities, and microelectronics plants in deep-strike operations, while repelling major mechanized assaults on the front lines.
The standout development was Ukraine's campaign against Wildberries warehouses (russia's Amazon equivalent) that account for 2-3% of russia’s economy, destroying more than one million square meters of warehouse space. Sales for the company have dropped 50%, and a wave of bankruptcies is predicted across the russian retail sector ahead of the legislative elections in fall 2026.
With spiking inflation and interest rates, Ukraine has brought the war home for the russian people and proven it can dictate the pace of this conflict on its own terms. Read the full update on our blog 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.
For more frequent updates about our work, please like ourFacebook page (new USA page here), follow us onInstagram (new USA page here),and subscribe to ourYoutube channel.
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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.
