CASEVAC Vehicles for the Medics of the 59th Assault Brigade
In May 2025, we reached a significant milestone: the successful delivery of two off-road vehicles to a frontline medical unit of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. These vehicles now serve as CASEVAC (Casualty Evacuation vehicle) within the 59th Separate Assault Brigade, operating directly in combat zones under intense Russian attacks.
This mission was carried out by four volunteers from Solidarity Aid e.V., supported by our Ukrainian partner, the Stasiuk Foundation. This debrief outlines who we are, the purpose of our mission, the people we supported, and the lasting impressions gathered during this critical operation.
Who we are
Solidarity Aid e.V. was founded in 2025 by a group of eight friends committed to delivering direct medical aid to Ukraine’s frontlines. Our involvement began shortly after the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, with grassroots efforts to raise funds and send medical supplies to those most affected.
Our connection with the Stasiuk Foundation began through a long-standing friendship between Gaudenz, one of our founding members, and Anna, a Ukrainian volunteer he met during his studies in Madrid. Since the invasion, their friendship evolved into a partnership dedicated to providing targeted, effective assistance.
The Stasiuk Foundation itself originated from a family’s volunteer work supporting military medics and chaplains since the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Officially registered as an NGO in 2022, the foundation operates a humanitarian hub that supplies medical aid to frontline hospitals and medics across Ukraine. Their work is entirely donation-driven, powered by a wide network of local and international partners.
Our Mission: Purchasing & Delivering CASEVAC Vehicles
The goal of this project was to purchase and deliver two rugged off-road vehicles suitable for use as CASEVAC ambulances. Our joint mission with the Stasiuk Foundation is to supply essential medical equipment directly to those who need it most—bypassing bureaucracy and ensuring timely delivery to combat medics, field hospitals, and evacuation units.
This project was born from an urgent need. When yet another CASEVAC vehicle from the 59th Brigade was destroyed in combat, the demand for replacements became critical. The vehicles needed to meet stringent criteria:
All-terrain capability for frontline use
Manufactured in the early 2000s for easier field repairs
Extended body to transport medics and wounded personnel
Powerful diesel engines to support armor plating, drone cages, and other modifications
The Nissan Patrol emerged as the optimal solution. Readily available in Germany, but scarce in Ukraine, these vehicles could be adapted quickly and effectively. Our mission was clear: raise the necessary funds, procure two Nissan Patrols, and personally deliver them to Ukraine.
Who We Supported
Through the Stasiuk Foundation, we work directly with Max, the head medic of the 1st Battalion of the 59th Separate Assault Brigade. Max is a father of two and a veteran who joined the military following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. His unit currently operates in the Pokrovsk sector, one of the most heavily contested areas in the ongoing conflict, experiencing over 130 assaults daily.
This battalion conducts frontline medical evacuations under constant threat from drones, artillery, and small arms fire. These medics work in extreme danger, risking their lives to stabilize and transport wounded soldiers to nearby field hospitals. For this reason, they require robust, reliable CASEVAC vehicles capable of enduring frontline conditions.
To better understand the realities faced by these medics, we invite you to watch:
Already in action: one of our vehicles used by the 59th Separate Assault Brigade already fitted with Counter-UAV jammer equipment (anti drones) at the frontline
The Journey: From Berlin to Lviv
After completing our fundraising campaign and acquiring the vehicles in Germany, we began the journey on 1 May 2025. Thanks to overwhelming support from friends and family, we were able to buy two fully operational Nissan Patrols. After handling paperwork and customs declarations, we drove toward Ukraine.
Ready to go: Our two Nissan Patrols in Berlin
Border formalities took just four hours—a surprisingly smooth process. Upon arrival in Lviv, we were greeted by Anna, her sister Sasha, and two Ukrainian drivers. There was little time for rest. After a quick handover and briefing on minor vehicle issues encountered during the drive, the drivers took over and continued the journey eastward, for another five hours. Before Max retrieves the vehicles for active duty, they will undergo final maintenance and modification—receiving bulletproof windscreens, armor plating, stretchers and interior medical equipment.
Mission success: handling over the vehicles to Anna & Team
Life in Lviv: War & Resilience
Lviv, located in western Ukraine, remains one of the country’s cultural and historic centers. Founded in the Kievan Rus era, it has seen Polish, Austro-Hungarian, Soviet, and Ukrainian rule. Despite its distance from the front lines, Lviv has not been spared. A drone and missile attack in September 2024 killed seven civilians and injured 35, damaging over 50 buildings.
Signs of war are visible everywhere—sandbags reinforce windows, statues are wrapped in protective padding, and churches are boarded up.
Yet life continues. We witnessed weddings, first communions, and birthday celebrations. Cafes, restaurants, and churches remain open. Military personnel walk alongside civilians—some on leave, others preparing for deployment. The resilience of everyday life in the face of war is a reminder of what is being defended: the right to live freely, joyfully, and in peace.
The Military Cemetary: A Last Cigarette
During our time in Lviv, Anna took us to the city’s military cemetery—a site that moved us deeply. Established at the start of the full-scale invasion, the cemetery now stretches across a vast hillside, each grave marked by the flags of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Resistance Army.
The tombstones span generations—men and women born in the 1960s through the 2000s. The youngest had not yet turned 20. The newest grave we passed belonged to a soldier who died just six days earlier.
Military cemetery in Lviv
Unlike in many countries, graves here are personalized by families. Beside the national and battalion flags are small tokens—chocolates, toys, letters, or a final cigarette—left behind in memory. These are not just symbols of mourning, but of a country unwilling to forget its fallen.
One last cigarette – Set on a grave in the military cemetery
Call to Action: How You Can Help
If you would like to contribute to the Ukrainian cause, you can do this by sharing our story to raise awareness and by donating to our non-profit organization Solidarity Aid. The members of Solidarity Aid and our partners work on these projects completely non-profit. Therefore: Your donations go 100% into the optimal procurement of the humanitarian goods.
