Ukrainian and Dutch servicemembers are covering a 2,600 km route called “Mission Kyiv,” aimed at supporting Ukraine and combating PTSD. The main initiator and participant of the march is Dutch marine Robin Imthorn, author of the book *Levensduur*, which is based on his personal experience with PTSD. The goal of the march is to raise €130,000 for medical care, rehabilitation, and psychological support for Ukrainian veterans and their families.
On June 1, 2025, four Dutch servicemembers and four Ukrainian servicemembers undergoing rehabilitation in the Netherlands set out from The Hague on a 2,000-kilometer march toward the Ukrainian border. At the Polish border, they were ceremoniously greeted by members of the All-Ukrainian Trade Union of Defenders of Ukraine, who welcomed the participants to Ukrainian soil and expressed gratitude for this socially significant initiative. There, at the border, the Dutch and Ukrainian servicemembers handed over the relay to three veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war, who will cover the remaining 600 kilometers to Kyiv. They will be joined by four defenders who sustained severe injuries in battles with Russia, including the loss of a limb.
The coordinator of the ceremonial welcome for the athletes and co-organizer of the event in the Volyn region was Volodymyr Kryvolapchuk, Head of the Primary Organization of Veteran Support Workers in Lutsk of the All-Ukrainian Trade Union of Defenders of Ukraine and Head of the public organization “Victory Space.”
The participants of the march across Ukraine are Ukrainian veterans:
🔹 Yurii Tsintylevych — veteran, has served since 2014, defended Luhansk Airport. Participant in international races as part of the Ukrainian veterans’ national team;
🔹 Oleksandr Miroshnychenko — veteran, experienced runner (marathon 2:48, half-marathon 1:18), participant in the European Road Running Championship as part of the Ukrainian national team;
🔹 Pavlo Savchenko — veteran, senior combat medic of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade “Chorni Zaporozhtsi,” and mechanic for strike drone aviation systems.
Along different sections of the route, Ukrainian veterans from other cities will join the main marathon participants, demonstrating that life continues despite irreparable losses and difficult wartime experiences. This march is not just a physical challenge — it is a socially significant mission of support.
