Support for Ukrainians is organized in the Basque Country

“The situation is getting worse.” The news that Olena Laurent manages to get from Ukraine is not good. Luckily, this Ukrainian living in Biarritz managed to bring her mother by one of the last planes from Lviv. Many friends, his cousins, who remained there are engaged in “the fight for the freedom of Ukraine against the Russian invasion”. “Even if it’s nothing compared to what they are doing there, it does them a lot of good when I show them what we are trying to organize here”. Olena Laurent is in contact with three associations to deliver humanitarian aid. The France Ukraine medical and charitable association based in the Paris region, Ukraine friendship in Bordeaux, and Brodo childhood located in Bayonne. The latter prepares a convoy which should leave on Saturday and organizes its collection from the Orthodox Church of Biarritz.

What the Ukrainians need first and foremost is medical equipment and medicines. The sites of the associations detail the list. And second priority, something to dress warmly in the middle of winter, when it’s still snowing. “Imagine yourself in the mountains in the middle of the night, in the middle of the cold; what would you like to have” launches Olena Laurent. We imagine very well. Very warm clothes and underwear and sleeping bags that hold up.

Collections in Biarritz, soon in Bayonne

A collection of equipment also organized in the town hall of Biarritz. For material intended for Ukrainian refugees in Poland specifies the municipality. Donations are made during business hours. The town hall of Bayonne is also planning to make available premises on the Quai de Lesseps in the near future.

A first van left Bayonne on Sunday, driven by the Gramchuk brothers, Ukrainians living in Ustaritz. A vehicle loaded with medical and humanitarian equipment arrived at its destination on Monday evening at the border between Poland and Ukraine. A second vehicle should leave the Basque Country on Saturday.

Sunday afternoon, at the call of the Ukrainian diaspora which has dozens of families in the Basque Country, a rally brought together a hundred people in Bayonne, Place de la Liberté.