Providing Critical Medicines for Ukraine Relief

In late May, a convoy of 12 donated emergency vehicles rolled into Kyiv—just hours before a major aerial attack on the city. For the founder of U.S. Ambulances for Ukraine, an Illinois-based nonprofit, it was their eighth trip to the country—and the most harrowing. As drones passed overhead and explosions echoed in the distance, they found comfort in knowing that vehicles delivered on previous trips were already in service—saving lives that night and every night.

Since 2022, Direct Relief has partnered with this grassroots organization to deliver more than 100 U.S.-donated ambulances, fire trucks, and emergency support vehicles to Ukraine’s frontline communities. These vehicles—retired from fire departments, hospitals, and police agencies across the U.S.—are getting a second life in places like Odesa and Kharkiv, where the need for emergency response remains critical.

One fire truck, donated by the town of Sterling, Illinois, helped extinguish 824 fires in Odesa in 2024, most sparked by missile or drone strikes. Another ambulance, sent from Valparaiso, Indiana, helped rush an eight-month-old baby girl to surgery—just in time to save her life.

With over 400 ambulances destroyed or damaged in Ukraine since the war began, every vehicle matters. Direct Relief supports these shipments to help restore the country’s emergency response capacity. Each vehicle is inspected and donated in good working condition—often with tens or hundreds of thousands of miles behind it—and continues to serve in war-affected communities.

Each ambulance or fire truck carries more than equipment—it carries hope. Thanks to supporters like you, these vehicles are helping first responders reach people faster, treat injuries, and save lives every day.

Links:

• Ukraine Relief
• Providing Wheeled Support for Ukraine's First Responders