Metro Detroit support for Ukraine surges as call for medical donation supplies increase

WARREN, Mich. (FOX 2) - The Metro Detroit Ukrainian community is scrambling to send aid overseas. They're gathering as many medical supplies as they can.

"Right now what we really need are certain tactical medical supplies," said Mykola Murskyj.

Murskyj is chair of the Ukrainian-American Crisis Response Committee - a committee that didn't even exist a couple of weeks ago, but is now scrambling to provide aid to Ukraine.

"We have banks, churches, youth groups, women's groups, men's groups," he said.

Support coming in from so many - like Johnnie Townsend. His foundation "I Care Fighting Hunger" is usually out feeding the homeless in Metro Detroit - now also collecting medical supplies for Ukraine.

"Knowing what's going on right now in Ukraine, people leaving and fleeing their country for safety - men women and children are injured - so we try to provide medical supplies that is needed," he said.

Things like tourniquets - dressings,  bandages, and sutures.

"We're really focusing on tactical medical supplies - so wheelchairs, crutches, and that sort of thing," said Murskyj. "That's going to be phase 2. In a couple weeks, a couple months, but right now we need tourniquets, we need tactical first aid kits. That's what we're really focusing on right now."

Donations are being collected at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Warren - across from St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Church - where the sign out front reads: "Pray for Ukraine. No war.  Stop Russia."

"We have no idea what's going to happen next, but I know that Ukrainians are going to fight to the death," said Murskyj. "They're defending their homelands, they're defending their own neighborhoods, they're defending their families. And so we, as Ukrainian-Americans, and as Americans, we need to make sure we're doing as much as we can to help them."

To help Ukraine, go to the UKRAINIAN-AMERICAN CRISIS RESPONSE COMMITTEE OF MICHIGAN