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A Kyiv auto repair shop is giving dilapidated cars a second life as combat-ready vehicles for the Ukrainian army, trying to fill supply gaps as the war with Russia continues.
The shop previously specialized in collision repairs, but that changed after Russia invaded in February, when volunteers reached out to prepare vehicles for delivery to the front lines.
Now, its mechanics spend long hours working in the pickup trucks and buses the military requires for tasks that include transporting weapons and surveillance drones.
“We are not a rich country and the state cannot provide armored four-wheel-drive vehicles for all our soldiers, so pickups are a compromise,” Anton Senenko, one of the volunteers coordinating the effort, told AFP.
He said the repair work could affect the lives and deaths of soldiers fighting in eastern Ukraine, where fighting is currently concentrated.
“In peacetime, cars often break down. But in wartime, that breakdown can lead to tragedy,” he said.
“The cars wouldn’t start, that’s all – the soldiers couldn’t escape the enemy tanks anymore.”
The vehicles were donated or purchased by fundraising Ukrainian volunteers, who often imported them from neighboring countries such as Poland, Latvia and Estonia.
– harsh terrain –
On a recent afternoon in the garage, mechanics in jumpsuits toiled beneath two overhead vehicles, a Nissan pickup and a Toyota van, that needed engine work.
“We didn’t just change the oil and filters, we fully prepared the entire machine to work in the harsh conditions of frontline work,” says Senenko.
This usually means replacing the suspension and braking system, and may also involve combat-specific modifications, such as adding turrets or mounts for Starlink internet antennas.
As the battle progressed, so did the military’s requirements.
While two-wheel drive used to be useful in some hot spots, the rugged eastern terrain where combat is concentrated now calls for four-wheel drive, preferably with off-road tires.
Soldiers used to request cars be painted green to blend in with the landscape, but now they prefer gray or black to match the cold winter conditions.
The job provided garage owner Ruslan Kulagin with an informal military education he didn’t have to consider before.
“It’s our contribution to victory,” the 46-year-old said proudly.
– CARS IN BATTLE –
So far, nearly 50 vehicles have been sent to the eastern front — pickup trucks, jeeps and several buses, Senenko said.
Vlad Samoilenko, who is coordinating the project with Senenko, said the soldiers’ feedback has been positive.
“When you see these cars last in the field for months, it really warms the soul. It also inspires us,” Samoilenko said.
Senenko added: “We were very happy when the fighters themselves wrote to us that the car had driven 15,000 kilometers without any failure.”
As he spoke, two uniformed soldiers came to the garage and picked up a blue 2002 Toyota Hiace van, which they planned to use to transport a surveillance drone.
The van was imported from Norway and needed minor adjustments like brake and engine work and an oil change.
After inspecting the van, the soldiers took photos with Senenko and Samorenko before driving away.
Senenko pretended to cry and said that sending the van to the battlefield was as exciting as “sending children to school.”
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