Trostianets is located close to the Russian border and for a long time, it was occupied by the Russian army. As the troops of the invaders retreated, the city was left destroyed and looted.
In response to Trostianets' request for assistance, the municipality of Valmiera provided a transport bus, filled up with donations from residents: bed linen, towels, sheets, pillows, household appliances.
“The bus has been removed from the register in Latvia, it has been assigned transit numbers for removal from the European Union. There are also items for Chernograd volunteer firefighters – fireproof outfits [..]. They will collect them on the border," said Valmiera Municipality Mayor Jānis Baiks.
The executive director of the association of small cities of Ukraine, Oksana Kiriliuka, who has lived in Valmiera since March with her children, said that she does not think that the gift to Trostianets is merely a drop in the sea of needs.
“You know, there's a saying: a thread from each, a shirt for the naked. If every city of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia or other countries helps this way, believe me, it will only help us, strengthen our faith in victory and bring it closer with each day. The most effective help is to hear the request and make a decision quickly, as has happened with this bus to Trostianets,” Kiriliuka said.
