Bogdan on the right, his colleague Eduard beside him, and a boy they evacuated sitting in the back.
MEET BOGDAN
Bogdan is one of our local partners in eastern Ukraine. He lives in Kramatorsk, just 15 kilometers from the frontline, and evacuates civilians every day from some of the most dangerous areas in the Donbas region.
We met Bogdan while searching for local partners who are still evacuating civilians near the frontline. We heard his name through local contacts.
He told us that despite the constant requests for help, he often had to say no, not because he didn’t want to help, but because he simply couldn’t afford the fuel.
That’s where we stepped in.
Before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Bogdan was a boxing teacher. Now, his life looks very different. Early in the morning, he digs graves to earn just enough to survive. The rest of the day, he risks his life evacuating civilians.
Every day, he receives messages from people asking to be rescued. Many are elderly people who have lived their entire lives in the same village or town. They don’t want to leave behind everything they know, their homes, their communities, their lives. But as the frontline moves closer, as homes are destroyed and neighbors are killed, staying is no longer an option.
He often had to say no, not because he didn’t want to help, but because he simply couldn’t afford the fuel.
The danger is growing
Bogdan in Kostyantynivka, hiding from drones with a drone detector in his hands.
With the rise of drone warfare, attacks now reach up to 50 kilometers behind the frontline. Areas that once felt relatively safe are no longer safe.
Drones watch from above. Any moving car, any person, can become a target.
On December 25, 2025, while evacuating civilians near Kostyantynivka together with his colleagues Eduard and Slavik, Bogdan’s car was hit by a drone. Bogdan and Eduard were injured. Slavik was killed.
Bogdan and Eduard standing in front of their car moments after it was hit by a drone.
In the damaged car, Bogdan recorded a video message to James, our Ukraine coordinator at Dutch Civilian Action. He explained what had happened and said that as soon as he recovered, he would continue evacuating people. And he did.
He drives into areas where explosions are constant. Where homes are burning. Where people are injured, or worse. Sometimes, when he arrives, it is already too late.
Now, he can no longer enter Kostyantynivka. It has become too dangerous. Instead, he asks people to walk 10 to 15 kilometers out of the city, where he picks them up and brings them to safety in Kramatorsk. There, they can stay in a shelter or continue their journey to other parts of Ukraine to live with family.
Bogdan loves his region, loves his people, and feels responsible to help. “Because I can,” he says.
Bogdan loves his people, and feels responsible to help. “Because I can,” he says.
How we support evacuations
Bogdan evacuates an elderly woman, sitting on her belongings.
Today, we support Bogdan by funding evacuations, providing emergency aid, and paying for fuel.
After his car was destroyed, we provided an armored van equipped with drone protection nets to better withstand the risks he faces every day.
But the need is growing.
As drone attacks increase, more civilian areas become unsafe. More people need to be evacuated. Together with Bogdan and other evacuation teams, we aim to evacuate 1,000 people over the next three months.
To make this possible, we need €30,000. On average, it costs €30 to evacuate one person to safety.
We cannot do this alone.
Help evacuate civilians to safety
Help Bogdan and other evacuation teams bring the next family to safety.
Every donation helps save lives.
Video recorded by Bogdan after his evacuation vehicle was hit by a drone near Kostyantynivka.
Bogdan shows the armored van equipped with drone protection nets that we provided after his evacuation vehicle was hit by a drone.