UPDATE ON INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION of BOMB TECHNICIANS AND INVESTIGATORS’ EFFORTS TO ASSIST OUR COUNTERPARTS IN UKRAINE
April 11, 2022
Letter by John Frucci, 3rd Assistant International Director, IABTI. Reprinted by permission.
Editor’s Note: NATEODA supports the IABTI’s efforts for our friends in Ukraine.
Since the war in Ukraine began Region VII Director Darrell Colwell and I have been in contact with National Police EOD Colonel V. Khomenko and his aide Victoria Bondar. I speak to Victoria on a regular basis. They are our main points of contact in Ukraine.
Recently one of Col. V. Khomenko’s men was injured and is being cared for. Colonel Khomenko sent the following message: “With our brother who is injured everything is fine, but his injury requires long-term rehabilitation as one of the fragments hit the brain. Now his condition is stable, we will transport him to the western regions of the country at the first opportunity.”
Darrell has sent money on behalf of Region VII for the injured EOD officer. If you would like to donate to assist the Ukraine National Police EOD, 100% of funds collected via this link will be transferred to them for their use with transport, injuries, medical bills, rehab & related family support: Donate to We Stand with Ukraine
DONATIONS of EQUIPMENT- EOD SPECIFIC
Donating EOD equipment to Ukraine is extremely complicated. The issue is that you MUST follow ITAR and EAR regulations. Dr. Yeager, as well as several of us, have explored ITAR/EAR issue and it is very complicated the ramifications of violating ITAR/EAR regulations are very serious, legal, and financially. We are unable to donate body armor, helmets, bomb suits, or disrupters to Ukraine or, even to a NATO country such as Poland.
If you would like to donate other equipment, such as hook & line kits and metal detectors, which are not restricted by the ITAR and EAR regulations, we respectfully request the list of items you wish to donate, and we will assist in determining if they can be donated or not.
Information about ITAR/EAR. “International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), are issued by the United States government to control the export and import of defense-related articles and services on the
United States Munitions List (USML). In short, the U.S. Government requires all manufacturers, exporters, and brokers of defense articles, defense services or related technical data to be ITAR compliant. The Export Administration Regulations (EAR) are issued by the United States Department of Commerce to control the export of items which are designed for a commercial purpose which could have military applications, such as computer hardware and software (Commerce Control List).”
OTHER EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Items needed that have specifically been requested at this time are boots, first aid kits, tourniquets, uniforms, shoes, raincoats, work gloves, and MREs. As requests come in for these types of equipment, we will continue to communicate them. There are several places where these items can be shipped. Please email me at [email protected] and I will provide you with a shipping location.
ADDITIONAL MONETARY DONATIONS:
Other options for monetary donations include: Bomb Techs Without Borders
They are former US Army EOD and I partner with them on another endeavor, so they are vetted.
I have also been working with the Friends of Ukraine EOD for fundraising efforts for our Ukraine EOD folks. Bomb Techs Without Borders are also working jointly with the Friends of Ukraine EOD. ‘Friends of Ukraine EOD’ is an undertaking, whereby like-minded people, including those with a background in Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA), Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), and other Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) Risk Management, join to assist the ERW risk mitigation efforts on the ground inside Ukraine. The support of multi-agencies in Ukraine such as the State Emergency Services of Ukraine (SESU), UKR MOD, Police, INGO, and others are assisted by FU-EOD, through the provision of information, the supply of equipment, technical support, and dedicated specialist training, so that the threat from ERW contamination can be mitigated. I have contacts with Friends of Ukraine EOD, Rebecca Hodson, Paul Rigg, and Ben Remfrey.
Friends of Ukraine EOD was able to deliver a truckload of EOD equipment to Ukraine. It was driven from the UK to Ukraine and Col. Khomenko and his men received the items. You can donate to them here: Friends of Ukraine EOD
Thank you all for your assistance and generosity!
John Frucci
3rd Assistant International Director, IABTI
