What was the Kursk operation really like? You can find some information about it online, but details of how it started are rarely public.

So we want to tell you a story about Mykhailo, callsign Mi9, our hero from the 80th Assault Brigade. He was one of the first soldiers to cross the Ukrainian border and make history in Kursk.
He was born in Mykolaiv Oblast, but at the start of the full-scale invasion, he was serving a sentence in a correctional colony in Chernihiv Oblast… When Russian forces entered the area in February 2022, colony staff released the prisoners and allowed them to fight for Chernihiv.

He could have stayed in Germany. Doctors, volunteers, and locals asked him to stay and promised him housing, documents, and a new, safe life.

He refused and returned to Ukraine with a third-degree disability, after losing his brother on the front lines, and with four children to care for. And he rejoined the ranks. His call sign is “Boroda”, and this is his story. Boroda first took up arms back in 2008. He began with mandatory military service in the 80th Airborne Regiment. In 2014, when russia first attacked Ukraine, he enlisted as a volunteer.

“Back then, our brigade was conducting active assault operations: we were quite successful in storming enemy positions and liberating our territories from the occupiers.” He served as a sniper in the 25th Brigade until he was shot in the knee near Avdiivka in 2015.

Meet Oleksii, callsign “Chechen.” His story goes back further than you might expect.

He was born in Grozny, Chechnya. When russia started the war there, Oleksii was just a child. russian soldiers came to his home, and his family was forced to leave everything behind and start a new life in Ukraine. This is where he grew up, studied, and built his life. Ukraine became his home. But in 2022, russia came again.

At first, Oleksii helped from the rear, working for the army, volunteering, and spending his own savings. But soon he realized it wasn’t enough, especially when his brother was already fighting in the infantry.

Meet Dmytro Derkach, with a call sign “Punk,” a soldier of the 26th Artillery Brigade. We are currently raising $50,000 to fund 56 Blyskavka UAVs for him and his comrades.

Before the full-scale invasion, Dmytro had a normal life. He worked as a construction foreman and was raising three children with his wife, building a quiet future for his family. In April 2022, he joined the Ukrainian army and became an operator in the brigade’s aerial reconnaissance unit. Watching the battlefield through a drone’s lens, he quickly understood how much this war depends on control of the sky.

My callsign is Radec. Iʼm 22 years old. I grew up in the United States, in Florida.

Iʼve been following the war in Ukraine since high school — long before the full-scale invasion. Somehow, I always knew I would come here one day.
A few months ago, I left my life in the US and joined a tactical group called Revanche, part of Ukraineʼs military intelligence. Many things here are classified, so I wonʼt show my face. But I can tell you this honestly: I donʼt regret my decision.

Ukrainians may not say much, but they treat me like a brother — and I feel it. I try to treat them the same way. And we train constantly. Every day brings new skills, new drills. I haven’t been on a combat mission yet, but that will change soon.

🎄While much of the world prepares for Christmas lights and family dinners, Ukrainian soldiers will spend another holiday in freezing trenches.

They still believe in small miracles. So we asked them to write letters to Santa.
Here’s what they said 👇 “My call sign is Jasmine.
Unfortunately, Russia still exists — which means we’re spending yet another Christmas not with our families, but fighting for the chance to live peacefully one day.
If possible, please hide FPV goggles among some sweets — makes the ‘presents’ to invaders more precise 😉.”

Have you ever imagined how Ukrainian soldiers live in dugouts once the cold comes and logistics run under enemy fire? Just think — not for one night, but for weeks or even months.

We spoke with our defenders, and here’s a thread with their stories and photos 👇🏻 The temperature in a dugout is usually between +2°C and +10°C — but only if there’s a heater. Without one, it can drop below zero.

Due to condensation and dampness, everything becomes wet, including the walls, sleeping bags, and even uniforms. When it rains or the snow melts, water can seep in from all sides.

Our friends from the 80th Air Assault Brigade told us about a heavy loss.
One of the heroes we are raising funds for was killed in action last week.

Olexandr, callsign Nazzgul, was only 29. You can find his profile on our website, among other heroes. He was a big fan of The Lord of the Rings.

He joined the army in 2022 and walked the difficult, dangerous path from an infantryman to a drone operator. His commander told us:

“Olexandr was a good man — ambitious, quick to learn, and he truly understood why he was here. He was responsible, professional, and always serious about his work.”

Nazzgul believed in his future and was building it. He and his wife had recently bought an apartment and were renovating it, planning their life together.

October was bountiful with results for our Paw Team 🎃

With your help, we raised $113,873 and sent 20 parcels to the Ukrainian heroes, including equipment for the Yurii's comrades from the 80th Brigade within the "In memory of Makhno" project.
Moreover, we finished 2 fundraisers and are now working on the delivery of items!

Check all updates in the thread 👇 We're looking for partners to help cover our operational needs 🐾

Please read the post from our founder, @ippvch, to learn more and share it with people and businesses who might be interested in such a partnership. Thank you!

https://twitter.com/730778180/status/1846501737273737714

We spent September on the road, finishing 5 different projects and delivering equipment to 24 units 🚗

Thanks to your support, we’ve delivered $144,268 worth of equipment to the brave Ukrainian defenders. We greatly appreciate your support!

Check all our updates in the thread 👇 We launched a new fundraiser in memory of Yurii (Makhno), our friend, who was killed in action in the Kursk offensive this August.

We spoke to his family during the funeral, and they expressed their wish to help Yurii's comrades fight and continue his mission.

Now, we have already raised $8,203, which is 50% of the goal of $16,000!
Please support this project and Makhno's crew 👇
dzygaspaw.com/in-honor-of-ma…

THE STARLINKS 202 PROJECT HAS BEEN DELIVERED 📡

In September, our Paw Team completed the mission, delivering terminals to 24 units across the frontline!

Check out our full report to learn more about this impactful expedition 👇 We visited our hero, Roman Ranger, and delivered 13 Starlinks to him and the 88th Marine Battalion.

We also handed over 15 terminals to the 109th Separate Mountain Assault Battalion, and 7 terminals to Panda's unit - Kibtsi, who perform destructive missions with their drones 😏

The K-2 Battalion asked us to supply them with 20 Starlinks 📡
Help us buy terminals for them 👇


It's a highly skilled unit established from the recon group K-2 of the 54th Separate Mechanized Brigade before the full-scale invasion. dzygaspaw.com/starlinks-202
During the onset of the 2022 🇷🇺 invasion, K-2 valiantly defended challenging frontline sectors near Donetsk, specifically Maryinka and Krasnohorivka. Now, they safeguard the Siversk sector along the Donetsk-Luhansk border, demonstrating remarkable resilience and strategic prowess

Today, Ukrainians are celebrating Easter 🎉

This holiday takes on special significance during times of war. So, let's delve into how Ukrainians have celebrated Easter throughout different wars.

Find out more in the thread 🧵

Photo: Army Inform During the early years of World War I, Ukrainians didn't feel inclined to celebrate much. However, over time, holidays became a source of comfort and hope for better days.

Have you ever wondered what Donbas really is?!

Read this - we are Ukrainians and have team members from that region.

We will explain everything you need to know about “Donbas” and its complicated story 🧵 Russia often pretends that the "protection of 🇷🇺 people of Donbas" and "returning Donbas as traditional 🇷🇺 territory" are the real reasons for its invasion of Ukraine.

So, what is Donbas? Is it really 🇷🇺 region? Was it always like that?

🧵🧵🧵

Our organization's mission is to increase the efficiency of the 🇺🇦 Defenders by supplying them with quality tech equipment.

However, people might confuse us with an animal rescue organization because of the name – "Dzyga's Paw."

Why are we named so? Who is Dzyga? A thread🧵👇 Dzyga is the beloved dog of the organization's founders, @dim0kq and @ippvch.

In Feb 2022, when the most recent Russian invasion began, Dimko quit his IT job and dedicated himself to volunteering and supporting various units of AFU. Then, he established a charity foundation.

Revenge Drones fundraiser ‼

Tonight russians committed a war crime by blowing Kakhovka Dam.

We are angry, but we convert our anger into supporting 🇺🇦 Armed Forces! Let’s raise $50 000 for drones for 🇺🇦 heroes!
Donate with the keyword "revenge drones" dzygaspaw.com/support 🧵 At 02:50, russian terrorists carried out an internal explosion of the structures of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant.

About 80 settlements are flooded now. The scale of the disaster is horrifying.

https://twitter.com/OstapYarysh/status/1665944397144285184

Fundraiser in memory of a Hero ❗

We are raising $20K for the 119th Territorial Defense Brigade, where Oleksandr Matsiyevsky served as a sniper.

To commemorate this brave man, support our initiative. Donate with the comment "Slava Ukraini": dzygaspaw.com/support 🧵 We wanted to do something practical in memory of Oleksandr Matsiyevsky. We reached out to soldiers from the platoon where he served and received a request for:

Tablets - 5x
Charging stations - 3x
DJI Mavic 3 - 2x
Motorola radios - 5x
Thermal imagers - 3x
Infantry shovels - 20x

We are thrilled to announce we have reached an incredible milestone — 🎉 1 000 000 $ in donations 🎉

We are humbled and grateful for the generosity of our supporters from all around the world.

Please see the videos of 🇺🇦 warriors and us voicing our gratitude, and read🧵👇 When we started this initiative, we did not expect it to grow as big as it has.

But thanks to our donors' outpouring of support, we have made a real impact by providing high-tech equipment to the Ukrainian military.

We saved hundreds of lives of Ukrainian heroes - together! 🫡

Meet our dear friend Dan!

Dan is a young man who began his professional career in Machine Learning. But when the full-scale war started, he volunteered to enlist in the military and joined the assault regiment. Dan's military path began with his initial assignment as a gunner in a mortar battery. He has since been promoted to the intelligence and reconnaissance section commander and now leads the air reconnaissance unit.

Drones for Wolves to see at night! 🐺

❗️A fundraising campaign to buy 10 DJI Mavic 3T drones for the @VovkyDaVinchi battalion❗️

Donate here with comment “3T” 👇
dzygaspaw.com/for-wolves-to-…

Together with our friends in Ukraine, we want to raise $40 000 for Bakhmut fighters!

🧵 Da Vinci Wolves have been protecting Ukraine since 2014.

They were led by the legendary young commander Dmytro Kotsiubailo, also known as "Da Vinci." Dmytro was a true hero of Ukraine, who gave his life for our freedom. He was killed in action near Bakhmut a few weeks ago.

Help Ukrainian Emergency Service demine Ukraine ❗️

Together with @whatislove_rv we start a fundraiser for 100 EOD multitools that will help Emergency Services Officers demine Ukrainian territories and save lives of civilians.

We need: 💲16 000
Details 🧵
dzygaspaw.com/100-multitools… 30% of the territory of Ukraine is mined. It is as big as the state of Florida or 2 times the size of Austria 🌍

Millions of people are endangered daily on their way from work, playing outside with kids, farming, riding a bike, or just doing usual things.