While Slovakia’s authorities attempt to distance themselves from supporting Ukraine, civil society has done the opposite. In less than two weeks, Slovak activists and ordinary citizens raised more than €1 million to support Ukraine, according to Novyny.
Darkness and strikes under the cover of "peace talks"
Russian strikes have forced Ukrainians to endure temperatures as low as –20°C without electricity, water, or heating. All of this has taken place alongside so-called “peace negotiations,” which in reality have not stopped attacks.
The Kremlin continues to attempt to break Ukraine through cold and darkness, betting on the exhaustion of the civilian population. This is why any assistance in the energy sector directly translates into lives saved.
“Warmth for Ukraine”: when civic solidarity proves stronger than political signals
The funds were raised through the “Warmth for Ukraine” campaign (Teplo pre Ukrajinu). The fundraiser was launched in late January at the initiative of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Slovak Republic, the Donio platform, and civil society organizations.
Initially, organizers planned to raise €500,000 to purchase generators and charging stations for the most affected regions—Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro. However, the scale of support exceeded expectations, with the total surpassing €1 million.
More than 19,000 people contributed to the campaign, many leaving messages of support such as:
- “Ukraine is fighting for our values,”
- “Warmth and victory,”
- “We are keeping our fingers crossed for you to get through this winter.”
Generators instead of statements: where aid has gone
As part of the campaign, 22 generators and two charging stations have already been delivered:
- 8 generators to Sumy and the Sumy Oblast;
- 8 generators to Zaporizhzhia;
- 6 generators and two charging stations to Dnipro.
Some of the equipment is already in operation, while the rest is expected to arrive shortly. The Embassy of Ukraine in Slovakia later announced:
“Thanks to your support, we have been able to expand the geography of Slovak solidarity—Kharkiv will also receive assistance," the embassy states.
Preparations for further deliveries are ongoing. In the near future, generators and charging stations will again be sent to Sumy, Dnipro, Kyiv, and Zaporizhzhia.
