Trotting track in Ukraine needs financial help

Olga Bondar and the others at the trotting track in Kyiv, Ukraine need financial support, and hope for foreign contributions.

The war in Ukraine has many victims and is cruel. On the trotting track in Kyiv, material damage has so far been avoided, but the situation has been characterized by both uncertainty and despair. Bondar says that they have gradually found a relatively good structure in the daily life.

– The first days were terrible, because we did not know what to do. Now, however, we have become much more organized, and we have a good structure. We have a plan every day and know what to do. It’s actually much easier to live this way – instead of just being scared, Bondar says.

At first it was quite frantic, and there was also a great concern whether they would run out of food for the horses.

– At the outbreak of war, there was no large inventory here at the racetrack. Due to fire safety, it is also not allowed to have so much feed stored here. After the first few days, we stopped being worried about the rules, and then we focused instead on having extra food available. It is possible to buy from some local villages where the situation is a little better. We decided to buy as much feed as we could every day. Now we have bought a good deal, and have feed for at least a month, she continues.

However, this has brought with it a challenge. Some of the owners, primarily those who own trotting horses that are stabled on the track, contribute financially. In addition to the trotting horses on the track, many stalls have also been filled with other horses, including horses that have been evacuated by volunteers from areas where people have fled. Some owners are unknown, and some are unreachable, which puts a financial burden on the Kyiv trotting track.

– Now we continue to buy feed every day, even though we currently have enough. In the beginning, we did it with money from the owners, and some owners also paid for deliveries for other owners. We take care of all the horses anyway, but it is a financial burden, unfortunately. A large shipment was to be sent to her on the basis of a German initiative, but that shipment has been delayed. We can continue to buy feed locally, at least for the moment, so right now that is the best option, Bondar points out.

There are 15 stables and over 350 horses on the trotting track in Kyiv. In every stable, someone has moved in permanently to be there and take care of the horses. Help is needed desperately to make sure these horses can be fed and taken care of.

How you can help

The trotting track in Kyiv has created two accounts, one in Euros and one in US dollars, where it is possible to donate money directly.

For donations in euros:

Recipient’s name: KP KYIV HIPODROM.

Recipient’s code: 00846346.

IBAN: UA653052990000026003016225868.

BIC/SWIFT: PBANUA2XXXX.

Name of bank: JSC CB “PRIVATBANK”

Currency: EUR.

Purpose of payment: Humanitarian aid

Ordinarily the above is sufficient, but some banks may also request information on the correspondent bank for the above account:

Correspondent bank: Commerzbank AG, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Account in correspondent bank: 400886700401

SWIFT/BIC, correspondent bank: COBADEFF

For donations in dollars:

Recipient’s name: KP KYIV HIPODROM.

Recipient’s code: 00846346.

IBAN: UA803052990000026001046230773.

BIC/SWIFT: PBANUA2XXXX.

Name of bank: JSC CB “PRIVATBANK”

Currency: USD.

Purpose of payment: Humanitarian aid

Ordinarily the above is sufficient, but some banks may also request information on the correspondent bank for the above account:

Correspondent bank: JP Morgan Chase Bank, New York ,USA

Account in correspondent bank: 001-1-000080

SWIFT/BIC, correspondent bank:CHASUS33

By Lisa Harkema, freelance journalist