News & Events
Project Debrief: CASEVAC Vehicles for 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) units 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, and drone cages—before Max retrieves them for active duty.
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.
Our First Fundraising Event
In April 2025, Solidarity Aid hosted its first major fundraising event in Munich. This milestone followed the successful establishment of our organization and the launch of our CASEVAC vehicle project. With invaluable support from our Munich-based members, Jakob and Emanuel, the event brought together more than 70 guests to raise funds, deepen public understanding of the war in Ukraine, and reinforce our shared commitment to solidarity.
The evening featured two distinguished keynote speakers, each offering a powerful and complementary perspective on the conflict:
Dr. Marc Stegherr, with a historical and cultural analysis
Anna Stasiuk of the Stasiuk Foundation, with firsthand insights into the role of Ukraine’s civil society and medical evacuation efforts.
Keynote 1: Understanding the Cultural and Historical Dimensions of the War
Dr. Marc Stegherr, LMU Munich
Dr. Marc Stegherr, a specialist in Slavic Studies at LMU Munich, offered a comprehensive exploration of the historical and cultural roots of Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine. His talk focused on how Russian elites—and Russian society at large—have long attempted to deny Ukraine’s sovereignty, cultural identity, and independent existence.
Dr. Stegherr described how Russian propaganda, bolstered by academic and political rhetoric, has worked to revise history in order to justify military aggression. One should, however, be careful not to classify the cultural war as mere propaganda. Beyond that, it should be recognized as a driving motive alongside economic interests and autocratic power consolidation. And as such, it seems to be deeply rooted in Russian society and history.
From the formation of the Tsarist Empire, through the Soviet-orchestrated Holodomor famine and deportations to present-day misinformation campaigns, he outlined a persistent pattern of imperial dominance achieved through the erasure of Ukrainian identity.
One of his key observations was how these narratives have influenced Western perspectives. He pointed to remarks by former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, who questioned the existence of a distinct Ukrainian national identity, as an example of Russia’s deep and often underestimated influence over historical discourse in the West.
This influence extends into academia as well—particularly the field of Slavic history—where Dr. Stegherr experienced it firsthand. There, the presumed superiority of Russian culture and language over those of other Slavic peoples was deeply ingrained. These narratives have been propagated both through deliberate efforts, such as Russian embassy campaigns asserting "interpretive sovereignty" over history (Deutungshoheit über die Geschichte), and more subtly, through dominant imperialist and colonial tropes in literature or the romanticization of Russian culture.
For Dr. Stegherr, the so-called "cultural war" waged by Russia is not a side issue but a core driver of the conflict. Without full recognition of its cultural and historical independence, he argued, Ukraine cannot achieve true sovereignty and peace.
Keynote 2: Life-Saving Work on the Frontlines
Anna Stasiuk, Stasiuk Foundation
Anna Stasiuk, co-founder of our Ukrainian partner organization the Stasiuk Foundation, traveled from Ukraine to share firsthand insights into civil society’s essential role during the war. Although the foundation was officially established in 2022, Anna and her family have been providing support to military and medical personnel since 2014.
Her keynote focused on the vital importance of medical evacuation and the role of grassroots initiatives in filling the gaps left by overwhelmed state structures and boosting transformation in the military from the bottom up. The Stasiuk Foundation now concentrates its efforts on equipping frontline medics with life-saving tools and supplies.
Anna explained the multi-step evacuation process for wounded soldiers: from initial field injury to stabilization points—often set up in abandoned homes near the front—and finally to field hospitals. Each stage is critical, and all are exposed to extreme danger.
Because helicopters are too vulnerable and armored vehicles are in short supply, medics rely on specially outfitted off-road vehicles known as CASEVACs. These vehicles must be capable of navigating difficult terrain and protecting their occupants from Russian drone attacks, which frequently target evacuation teams. As a result, Counter-drone radioelectronic systems and added armor are now essential features.
Anna underscored a sobering truth: “To save lives, Ukrainian combat medics must stay alive.” Her powerful message formed the heart of the evening—and the purpose of our CASEVAC fundraising initiative.
Impact and Outcome
This event was more than just a fundraiser. It was an evening of reflection, education, and solidarity—designed not only to support those in urgent need but also to foster a deeper understanding of the war’s cultural and humanitarian dimensions.
Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our guests and donors, we successfully raised enough funds to procure two CASEVAC vehicles, which are now actively deployed near the frontlines in Ukraine. These vehicles are already making a difference—helping medics save lives under some of the most dangerous conditions imaginable.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our speakers, our supporters, and everyone who joined us. This was only the beginning. The war continues—and so does our work.
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.