(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Difference Makers are typically found spreading the love around Chicago, but this week, Borys Potapenko with spotty reception speaking to WBBM by phone is spreading Chicago area love throughout the embattled cities of Ukraine including donated bulletproof vests and helmets.
Potapenko with the UCCA Illinois Branch is in Ukraine embedded with the 112th battalion of the territorial defense. Everything he is doing now is regulated by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.
"We're training volunteer fighters. Once their training is done, then they are assigned to different units, special operations, guard duty or going into the field and frontline fighters," Potapenko said.
He said Mykolaiv is now experiencing Russian bombardment day and night.
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"That's why we make sure every single one of our boys and girls going over to Mykolaiv is fully outfitted and that's all done by donations," he said. "That's not being provided by the Ukrainian military, so this type of help is so critically important. It really saves lives."
Potapenko has been in Ukraine for just over a month now as he and his newly trained territorial defense recruits head to the frontlines of Mykolaiv where there is no running water, no gasoline and 100 thousand civilians still remain.
He said it’s the body armor donated in Chicago making its way to Ukraine for him to distribute that is a true difference maker.
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