“We root for you!”

Our soldiers now hear words of support and pride, coming from compatriots from all over the country, through loudspeakers on their bases, and read them at the Ministry of Defense’s pages in social networks... Such assistance is invaluable and necessary daily. However, Ukrainians do not limit their support to words only. For example, according to activist of the Kirovohrad Euromaidan Andrii Lavrus, they collected 10,000 hryvnias to fund Kirovohrad garrison’s move to Crimea.

ZAPORIZHIA: More than a dozen warships of the maritime border guard detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, formerly stationed in Kerch, are now staying at Berdiansk Commercial Seaport (Zaporizhia oblast). It has become their temporary homeport. Crew members are living on ships in the seaport. To resolve their everyday problems, they use facilities of Berdiansk land border guard detachment. The local seaport is helping the Kerch sailors, too, by providing them with a dining room, bath and laundry. Port workers bring the sailors bread and canned food.

RESIDENTS OF BERDIANSK also report that border guards receive help from local entrepreneurs. They brought to the port over a ton of food on March 5 alone, including cereals, pasta, sunflower oil, meat, fish, sugar, salt, flour, tea, and coffee. Fishermen, recently chased as poachers by the border guards, donated more than a hundred kilograms of fish, bacon and canned food, reports Kateryna KIZIM, Zaporizhia.

KHERSON REGION: Ukrainian soldiers have been staying in the district center of Chaplynka for the fifth day in row. Chaplynka could be the first locality of Kherson region to see Russian troops should they expand their operations. “Chaplynka has had a collection point organized for those who want to help. People bring everything: fresh and canned fruits, hot dishes, sweets, cigarettes, warm clothes, appliances... Money is collected separately. Businessmen Yevhen Chebotariov and Oleksandr Velchynsky help the army greatly with transporting materials for checkpoint construction. The village is really united and awakened,” local Euromaidan activist Andrii Katyshev told The Day. “Unexpectedly, soldiers were very surprised that the south met them with Ukrainian flags and made them actually feel themselves at home. However, how could it be otherwise...? We are one country. We have been also forming local self-defense units. Civilians are in literally fighting mood. No one wants to give as much as an inch of our native land.”

According to Katyshev, Chaplynka residents are also organizing help for the Ukrainian garrisons in Crimea. In the coming days, they will send there money and necessary things, reports Ivan ANTYPENKO, The Day, Kherson.

RIVNE REGION: Farmers decided to support Ukrainian soldiers in Crimea. They collected nearly 20 tons of vegetables and other produce in a night, and a truck departed from Rivne Euromaidan in morning of March 5. “We announced this drive on March 4 night. Nearly 100 local farmers responded to our appeal. As a result, we are sending vegetables and flour, buckwheat, even bacon to Crimea. We request that they met our truck,” the head of the Rivne Regional Association of Farmers and Private Landowners Dmytro Ukrainets told The Day. Meanwhile, soldiers from the city of Dubno, Rivne oblast, are ready to shelter families of colleagues from Crimea, reports Tetiana ILNYTSKA, Rivne.

TERNOPIL: As reported by the press service of the Ternopil City Council, mayor Serhii Nadal spoke with captain of the corvette Ternopil Maksym Yemelianenko on March 5, and the latter reported that they were cut off from the land and therefore could not buy any food or water. Besides captain, 85 sailors are on board. Ternopil residents are already donating money. The mayor thanked the Euromaidan activists, business community and all concerned citizens. According to Nadal, the money is being transferred to bank card of a crew member. “We will buy everything they need and think over the way to get it all to them,” Nadal noted. Children contributed to the charity drive, too. They made their own gifts to at least somehow morally support the sailors in their hardship, reports Larysa OSADCHUK, Ternopil.