TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Driving a vanload of Americans and Europeans across Ukraine, combat veteran and co-founder of Project Dynamo Bryan Stern has been working to evacuate Americans from Ukraine while it’s under attack from Russia.
“I’m here in Kyiv and you can probably hear the air raid sirens because they are bombing on the other side of the city and they’re shooting on that side of the city,” Stern said.
The need to evacuate came when some Americans chose to stay in the country even after warnings from the U.S. State Department.
“Our mission is primarily Americans, but we’re also, especially on this current ride we’ve got Brits, we’ve helped Germans, we’ve helped Romanians and Ukrainians,” said co-founder Matthew Herring from his office in Tampa.
Project Dynamo is funded by private donations and people contact the group online when they need to escape during escalating tensions.
The work is dangerous, but Herring says they are committed to getting out everyone that they can.
“Somebody’s got to go. If there are Americans there that are in trouble, we’re not going to tell em no,” said Herring.
Project DYNAMO depends on donations and Stern said Ukraine evacuations will cost more than Afghanistan.
