Vail Valley locals Kelli and Kreston Rohrig are the founders of Limbs For Liberty Ukraine, have visited the region several times and are in frequent contact with citizens and soldiers defending Ukraine. They shared these direct accounts from their contacts following the Vail Symposium program on March 6, 2025.
This is from a retired British cop and former special forces based in Kharkiv. He and his friend Masha do deliveries up and down the eastern front.
“Generally, I feel Ukrainian civilians (e.g. Masha) who don’t necessarily support Zelensky backing him in an unprecedented way. Anger towards USA (particularly Trump and Vance) is growing very, very quickly.
At the front, yesterday and today, we have spoken with many soldiers. Masha has specifically questioned them and many have stated that they will continue fighting to the death to regain the Donbas region, regardless of what might be ‘agreed’ elsewhere. None want a ceasefire or believe it will last.
In summary, I am seeing a renewed determination and vigor that is overcoming the fatigue of the last 18 months.”
From Sumy:
“Guys are using drones that lift over 20 lb to deliver supplies FPVs on optic fiber burned a lot of our vehicles. That is how they cut the supply line. Jammers are useless. Shotguns are the only remedy.
Photo is from the Pokrovsk. They are also using shotguns to shot down drones. They are all asking their families for money so they can buy used shotguns, the pellets give them a better chance for getting the drone.
This is Oleg, his unit makes their own bombs using the $400 3D printer we bought him. I send him $1k every other month for explosives.“
From Irpin:
“Here now we are all like Melman from cartoon.
After last night, I’ve had someone offer cash for tourniquets for Sumy (they are asking all civilians in Sumy to have tourniquets because they get bombed so often now), Sync donated 30 more new jackets and we had another large bag of medical supplies delivered.“
This is from Ruslan. He was captured in Mariupol and held for 2.5 years:
“I’m doing well, going to yoga, and sometimes skiing.
By the way, they placed us in a psych ward—there are real crazy people there. They put us there because we have nightmares with memories of Mariupol and captivity.
From Oleg near Bakhmut:
“Thank you and your friends for your help, we really need it now, video and photos of the building where my guys worked, making ammunition for drones to kill Russians, a Russian missile flew into this building and destroyed it, thank God my guys are all alive…
I will send you videos, photos of how we are fighting here in Pokrovska, show your friends, we are holding on and not retreating, Rusnya is dying… Glory to Ukraine, Thank you for your support💪✌️”
