An auto garage in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv has emerged as a surprise source of battlefield resources for the resistance forces during the ongoing conflict with Russia. The shop, which mainly specialised in repairs before the Russian invasion of Ukraine started in 2022, is transforming old cars, trucks and busses into military vehicle which are capable of transporting drones and weapons.
“We are not a wealthy country, and the state cannot provide all our soldiers with armoured four-wheel-drive vehicles, so pickups are a compromise,” an Ukrainian volunteer called Anton Senenko told AFP.
“Very often, there are breakdowns with cars in peacetime. But in wartime, such a breakdown can lead to a tragedy,” he said when asked about the reason behind his initiative.
“The car won’t start, and that’s it — the soldiers can no longer escape from the enemy tank.”
The vehicles being used by the garage are mainly donated or fundraised by the Ukrainian volunteers involved in the initiative. According to AFP, there were also a number of cars and other vehicles which were imported from other countries including Estonia, Poland and Latvia.
“We don’t just change lubricants and filters, we fully prepare the entire machine for the harsh conditions in which it will work on the front line,” Senenko said.
Due to the specialisation needed to make the vehicles battle-ready, the garage has included special instructors in the effort and the mechanics were even taught how to mount a Starlink internet dish.
“This is our contribution to the victory,” garage owner Ruslan Kulagin told AFP.
