A War Full of Mosaics
“Life has become different here,” he said in a darkened room with only his face dimly lit in the house, “the need has become ten times greater since the start of this war.”
Andriy Vasylenko, felt he was living a scene from a movie, driving past a yellow school bus, he glanced over to see the faces of a bus full of soldiers instead of children headed to school.
“This war for me is a collection of mosaic pictures,” said Mr.Vasylenko in a recent post on Instagram as he is seen driving past the bus. “Some of these pictures in the future will become part of some books and films, but now we are living that.”
Ever since the invasion of Russian military troops on Ukrainian soil took place on Feb.24, 2022, Mr.Vasylenko along with his wife Arendam and their four children decided to valiantly stay in support of those who also remained, many of their homes still in ruins.
Footage of volunteer moving food supplies into the truck to distribute out to members in Ukraine Video Footage by Andriy Vasylenko
In an interview with Mr.Vasylenko two years ago, the nonprofit organization Bake4Ukraine came to light, out of the need to distribute fresh bread, soup, and supplies to regions in Ukraine that have suffered the remnants of the war ushered in by the Russian government.
He recalls after the third day of the war calling up his friends and local church members who came together to distribute bread and soup to members of the community, after seeing shuttered restaurants and empty bread shelves at local grocery stores.
Mr.Vasylenko, inspired by his 19-year-old son Petro Vasylenko, who has Down syndrome, launched the charity organization called Bakery 21.3 seven years ago, followed by Cafe 21.3 three years ago.
While speaking with Mr. Vasylenko after two years, the sound of a bomb alert echoed in the background during the interview and the lights went off, he said that this is a reality they are simply used to and happens every four hours.
“Life has become different here,” he said in a darkened room with only his face dimly lit in the house, “the need has become ten times greater since the start of this war.”
Amid the push and pull of the war
In the past few months, the organization has faithfully delivered over 100,000 loaves of bread, with soup and medical supplies included, with the assistance of international neighbors who have given a lending hand in offering 50 trucks from the Netherlands.
Additionally, they have worked their way in handing out fresh food supplies to around 30 different bakeries in Ukraine, villages that have been marked by a costly war seen in the damages of the buildings added Mr.Vasylenko.
Calling it the “worst expectation,” referring to the recent power blackouts which last around four hours per day in Brovary located east of Kyiv, with some cities in the east facing blackouts of up to 20 hours, have presented challenges to delivery aid to those in need.
Power outages have become the norm at the cost of an all-consuming war that has left more than 57,000 Ukrainians killed and 250,000 wounded, according to international estimates.
On the other side of the front, it is estimated that more than 600,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded since the start of an almost three-year war, according to an independent analysis by The Economist.
The international community and U.S. officials have cautioned the causality figures claimed by Russian intelligence as a result of a Pentagon leak indicating “continuing reluctance” deaths of the Russian National Guard were not accounted for.
Russian airstrikes have made their way into two critical Ukrainian energy infrastructure sites last month triggering power cuts across the country, according to international outlets such as Reuters and the Associated Press.
Mr.Vasylenko said that his daughter wakes up every day checking to hear the sound of a bomb alert, this will determine if she heads to school that day or stays behind taking shelter—essentially the Ukrainian school system has gone underground as a result of the Russian drone and missile strikes.
“They [Russians] are starting to hit right when it’s getting cold,” he said, with winter making its way into Ukraine, temperatures can plummet down to as low as negative five degrees Fahrenheit.
The war against Ukraine has sent international food and energy markets spiraling, raising food prices even further. One report offered by the Ukraine Food Security & Livelihoods Cluster, estimated 7.3 million Ukranians to face “moderate or severe food insecurity,” including 1.2 million children and 2 million elderly.
The agriculture sector has also taken a big hit as well, with over $80 billion in damage and losses by U.S. standards.
Mr.Vasylenko has been on the frontlines of the war bravely documenting for the past two years his trips in Ukraine, delivering fresh food supplies into cities such as Kyiv, Cherniv, Brovary, and Karkiv, including cities in the Donetsk region, the eastern portion of Ukraine.
One city he drove to was Kostiantynivka, located near the industrial city in Donetsk Oblast, east of Ukraine saying that curfews start from 3 p.m. until 11 a.m. leaving civilians with at least four hours to walk throughout the day.
For this upcoming holiday, the Vasylenko family along with over 100 volunteers have maintained their spirits high, despite the ongoing war with Russia.
Since the last interview, Bake4Ukraine has also been able to take on a new venture, one that hits close to home for the Valyesenko family. They are now proud owners of the Perspective 21.3 Center, which helps children with disabilities, and their son Pedtro is seen playing Bandmiton.
The center opened this year on March 21, in commemoration of World Down Syndrome Day, opening up a space for classes and kitchens including offices.
“We were able to buy this building and repair it to a center during the middle of the war,” said Mr.Vasylenko. “Dreams come true when many people are joining in efforts, prayers, time and funds,” read one post on Instagram earlier this year.
The organization will be handing out Christmas baskets, carrying each a collection of typical European holiday bakery items such as loaves of bread, chocolate, and cinnamon spices.
They intend on delivering 500 baskets to a list of families who have lost their loved ones and to wounded soldiers and civilians, many of them find themselves in the hospitals.
“Many locals were reached out,” he said. “We started Bake4Ukraine out of a place of need as we witnessed the bombings happening near us and around us,” he said.
Using Facebook he sought out volunteers who were willing to help out at the bakery and to his surprise around 150 people responded asking how they could help.
The campaign launched on Feb. 28, four days after the war broke out and two years ago since the last interview and so far has been able to raise over $200,000, with around 1,500 donors.
To fly without wings
A book they plan on gifting is a poem titled “Kyrla” or “Wings” by Lina Kostenko, a Ukrainian poet and journalist.
“The story is about people having no wings but they can fly, said Mr.Valysenko, adding that the wings can be prayers and dreams. “Despite the circumstances, you can fly over them and you can have some relief even in the circumstances you are in.”