San Diego volunteers unite to send medical aid to Ukraine

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The war in Ukraine is now in its third year with no clear end in sight. While world leaders debate the conflict’s future, one San Diego nonprofit is working to make a difference thousands of miles away.

Outside Kilowatt Brewery in Clairemont Mesa, volunteers with Shield of Freedom gathered this week to assemble individual first aid kits, known as IFAKs, bound for Ukrainian defenders and first responders on the front lines.

“These are really good, high-quality CAT 7 tourniquets. They save a lot of lives out there,” founder Josh Levine said.

Levine, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served in Afghanistan, said his experience overseas showed him how critical a single medical kit can be.

“Unfortunately, with how brutal Russia is in terms of attacking civilians, first responders and defenders out there, every single one of these are going to get used,” he said. “They’re all going to save people’s lives for sure.”

Each kit includes combat-grade supplies along with a handwritten note of encouragement. Levine said those personal messages resonate deeply.

“We’ve heard back from a lot of the soldiers and first responders that received them last year. They said they had tears in their eyes reading these messages, that people halfway around the world care enough about them,” he said.

The effort comes as Ukraine reports fresh bombardments and rising casualties. International aid groups continue to cite medical supplies as one of the most urgent needs.

The war also remains at the center of global diplomacy. President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week in a rare face-to-face meeting. Both leaders discussed prisoner swaps and possible steps toward reducing energy tensions, though no agreements were announced.

Some local leaders criticized the talks, saying they do little to address the larger crisis.

“Trying to accomplish a temporary cease-fire is not going to bring long-term peace to Ukraine,” Mira Rubin, the president of Shield of Freedom said. “It’s not going to bring back occupied territories or return 20,000 stolen children.”

Levine said his mission remains focused on the frontline.

“To be in a position to do something to help them is a real honor,” he said. “A lot of times I’ll talk to them from their fighting holes in the trenches. I can hear artillery going out, and they’re just so grateful to all the donors and volunteers.”

Shield of Freedom says it will continue fundraising and assembling kits throughout the year.