Ukrainian billionaire businessman and philanthropist Vadym Novynskyi has been helping victims of Russia’s war in Ukraine through a variety of charitable projects and initiatives.
Managed through his charitable organization, the Vadym Novynskyi Foundation, he has so far allocated billions of hryvnia to projects that ensure civilians affected by the war have access to food and shelter, and that Ukraine’s military has access to the equipment it needs to fight and win.
Most recently, Novynskyi has helped support residents of the city of Krasnograd in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine, which has been the site of heavy fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces. Although the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have successfully driven advancing Russian troops away from the city, Russian artillery and rockets remain within range of the metropolis and it continues to come under fire from shelling and missile strikes.
That’s where the Vadym Novynskyi Foundation steps in, delivering 200 food kits, a stove for a senior citizen, and two electric generators, among other items, to the humanitarian aid center and the heating point operating at the St. Luke of Crimea church, which provides ongoing assistance to the local population and people forced to leave their homes and find shelter in Krasnograd because of the war.
Due to intermittent power outages in the Krasnograd area, many residents remain without access to both water and heat. Despite their efforts, state centers aren’t able to provide the entire community with assistance, so the work of the Vadym Novynskyi Foundation is making a real difference.
In response to an appeal from the Charitable Foundation of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, which was established at the St. Luke of Crimea church, Novynskyi’s charitable foundation also donated generators to power heating devices, well pumps, electric furnaces, and lighting.
Vadym Novynskyi Allotting Billions in Aid
Novynskyi is a Ukrainian businessman, philanthropist, and the owner of Smart Holding Group. He was born in Staraya Russa and obtained Ukrainian citizenship in 2012 “for distinguished services to the country” from President Viktor Yanukovych.
His metallurgical enterprise Metinvest Group allocated more than 2.8 billion hryvnia (approximately $76 million) to strengthening Ukraine’s defensive capabilities during the first 10 months of the war, providing humanitarian aid to civilians, and supplying the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) with critical equipment.
Much of this funding has been distributed under Metinvest Group’s Steel Front, an initiative that’s seen the metallurgical company become one of the biggest suppliers of equipment to the AFU. As part of the Steel Front, Metinvest Group, under Vadym Novynskyi’s direction, has implemented a systemic supply chain for critical equipment, through which more than 150,000 pieces of body armor, 25,000 helmets, 1,000 drones, 315 vehicles, and 1 million liters of fuel have been disbursed.
Nourishment for Ukraine’s Civilians
In addition to providing supplies to the military, the Vadym Novynskyi Foundation has helped to ensure that Ukrainian civilians have access to food.
In partnership with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the foundation has sent more than 50,000 food kits to residents of Ukrainian settlements located in front-line war zones since last February. Food and humanitarian aid kits have also been sent to refugees and internally displaced persons affected by ongoing hostilities.
“We understand that as a result of this [war], it is difficult for the people who live there to get the most necessary things, in particular food, so the foundation focuses on providing long-term storage products,” said a spokesperson for the foundation in a recent statement. According to the organization, these aid kits include basic food necessities such as cereals, flour, canned meat, canned fish, oil, vegetables, baby food, and tea.
The foundation delivers these packages based on the applications it receives from Ukrainian citizens. More than 5 tons of food kits and 500 hygiene kits are being dispatched daily, and the foundation is exploring opportunities to scale up its distribution network.
“The foundation constantly helps our fellow citizens who are in difficult life circumstances — war veterans, retirees, large families,” said spokesperson Dmytro Sergeyev. “Unfortunately, with the advent of the war, many Ukrainian families found themselves in difficult circumstances, so in recent months the foundation has significantly expanded this area of aid.”
