Ukrainian soldiers to get a “battalion” of pies

The master cooks baked 500 pies in  total, filled with mushrooms, apples, and cabbage. The people also brought to the event homemade foods, warm clothes and so on. As soon as next morning, it all was shipped to the east of Ukraine to the soldiers of the 25th Territorial Defense Battalion “Kyivan Rus’.”

“We recently sent to the front a few homemade dishes and the boys were extremely glad to get that parcel. Their response prompted us to cook more food for the soldiers,” junior research fellow of the museum Olena Khomiuk told us with a smile. “We were worried that the dough would fail to rise, because the museum is poorly heated, so we were taking utmost care of it.” The dough for pies rose quickly, perhaps because it was kneaded in a bowl that was at least one hundred years old.

Adult women as well as young girls contributed to the cooking work-bee event, with those who did not have time to cook bringing flour and other products. Finance worker Olena Horbenko admitted: “I love to cook, cooking is my great hobby. I learned about the event from social networks and just came here to help. I brought two cakes and can cook here for the entire night if needed.”

Kyivite Serhii Marych went to the draft board during the first wave of mobilization, but was rejected due to his age, as he is pushing 60. Therefore, he has been helping soldiers on the home front. “I have brought warm clothes and flour. I wish the soldiers to think about life in every battle, and they will survive it then. Most importantly, we must at least provide moral support to the boys. When people see that others remember them, they will fight to the last breath,” Marych maintained.

“These pies allow everyone to convey a little of their love to our boys, because the dough is alive, it is absorbing our thoughts,” volunteer of the International Association for Support and Development of Ukraine charity Lesia Borsuk-Yankivska stated. “Our organization has helped the soldiers since May, we deal with all units that apply to us. We send everything to the soldiers, ranging from socks to spare parts for infantry fighting vehicles. We have long been holding joint projects with the Honchar Museum and have been raising funds all the time. Recently, we bought stoves with this money, which have already been shipped to the front.”

The culinary party at the museum was held as part of the Art Defense Event “Let Us Defend Ukraine Together!” which has involved a series of exhibitions, concerts, auctions, fairs that serve as fundraisers for the men fighting in the east of the country. The institution’s craftswomen help the soldiers on their own as well: for example, one of the museum’s employees has been knitting socks that are then shipped to the front.

Currently, most urgent needs of Ukrainian soldiers include walkie-talkies and thermal underwear. “Walkie-talkies save our boys’ lives,” Khomiuk told us. “The enemy shoots straight at Ukrainian soldiers because they are tracking the signals of mobile phones. It is impossible to do with a walkie-talkie. However, we need high-quality, expensive walkie-talkies. Thermal underwear and high-quality footwear are in demand as well. When talking by phone with the soldiers, I hear them coughing violently, as the boys are freezing.” Therefore, the funds raised at the museum will go primarily to purchasing walkie-talkies. The pie support was welcomed by the soldiers as well, so the inspired cooks are already planning for next culinary work-bee.