Ukraine's civilians donate blood to save soldiers fighting against Russian aggression

Several Ukrainian civilians and soldiers alike gathered near the southern front-line cities responding to the calls for blood donations for the injured combatants who have been fighting for their country against the invading Russian troops. Ukrainians, in an interview with the American newspaper Washington Post, said that the blood was needed to save the soldiers "who are fighting for us”. And therefore, citizens convened outside the hospitals in a humongous turnout seeing blood donation as a way to thank the troops for defending their country's sovereignty.   

“They said on TV that there was an urgent need for blood today,” a civilian named Svitlana Mymokhod told the paper. The 58-year-old has been doing an accountant job, also cooking meals for the Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline. 

Ukrainian army was in need of B-negative donors

According to Mymokhod, the Ukrainian army was in need of B-negative donors, and an announcement was made for the same on television. People, including the military members, assembled to donate their blood as a token of gratitude to the armed forces. Russian capture of Odesa would cut off entire Ukraine from the rest of the Black Sea, and the Ukrainian military has been launching rigorous counter-offensive to deter the invading Moscow forces. 

Mykolaiv is the closest Ukrainian city to Kherson with Russian soldiers' occupation. This week, Ukrainian air defence forces shot down one of two enemy Oniks-type missiles launched on the Odesa region from the Russian annexed Crimea region as the battle intensified. Russian troops attackedOdesa with two Oniks missiles fired from the Bastion coastal missile system. 

As the battle raged on, Vladyslav Vekha, 25, a soldier from Mykolaiv on one day's leave to donate blood, told WaPo that the need for blood donation is "critical right now." The sight of military ambulances has become a more common sight across Ukrainian towns.